Living Beautifully
by IssaLee
Summary: When Draco risks his life for Ginny's, and ends up killing his father in the process, it sparks a chain reaction of events that could end up destrpying the Wizarding World. Draco and Ginny must work together. Will something develop?COMPLETE
1. Solizzle Fo Shizzle And Co

Ok, this is my first Harry Potter fanfic, and I'm hoping it'll get better as we go along. 

Disclaimer: Eh…Harry Potter belongs to me, as I am J.K. Rowling! (See calendar: Today is Opposite Day.)

He had never meant to look up.

But when the laughter had floated by his ears, entrancing and magical in its own way, his feet had refused to move. And so, his head investigated.

"Solizzle Fo Shizzle at your service!"

He smirked. There was the littlest Weaseley, grinning lopsidedly as she sat on the steps, barring the Gryffindors from entering their dormitory. Next to her was a lithe, tanned girl with waist length black hair. She had on a lopsided beret and thick sunglasses.

"Come one, come all, to the best Fo Shizzle stand in all of Hogwarts!" The girl exclaimed. Next to her, Ginny laughed. Once more, Draco Malfoy found himself mesmerized by the sound.

"Please, Soleil, it's the only Fo Shizzle _anything_ in Hogwarts, so stop flattering yourself."

Ginny's companion, Soleil Garneau, smiled winningly. "Aw, but come on, Gin, it's a great idea!" She turned to the crowd before her. "Who here loves music? Come on, if your hand doesn't go up, Ginny here is great with hexes!"

Draco couldn't help but scoff as he saw Ginny hold up her wand and arch an eyebrow. Her wand sparked lightly, and every hand went up.

"Good, good." Soleil nodded approvingly. "Now, Ginny and I have managed to jinx a few mood rings…the songs they play will be both Muggle and wizarding songs, but I guarantee you, they're awesome!"

"Who would like to try it out?" Ginny rose from her step and glanced about. Her eyes narrowed. "Ronald Weaseley."

Her brother, who had been ignoring a protesting Hermione and trying to blend into the crowd, let out a small wail.

"Come on, Gin! Can't you pick anyone but me?"

"Ron!" Hermione scolded him. "She can't pick anyone, we're not supposed to sell things unless it's authorized! It says so in the Prefect's Guide, Page 397, paragraph three."

But Ginny had already marched down, and shoved something unceremoniously on Ron's finger. He blanched, but when nothing bit, looked down.

On his finger was a small, virtually weightless ring. Set inside was a beautiful clear stone, and as soon as it touched Ron's skin, the surface began to swirl. A moment later, it turned a bright yellow. Ginny beamed.

"Right. All you have to do now is say play, pause, forward, or go back and that's exactly what it'll do! And you can say lower or higher, and the volume will rise or fall! Say play!"

Ron, still quite afraid, obeyed. "Play."

_Grit your teeth and listen for the gun_

_Get in the runners block and kneel_

_And run the human race_

_That decadent decathlon and_

_Let the games begin for real_

_Stop scaring me- it's bedlam in paradise_

_Stop I can't see- nowhere I can hide_

_Scared to run, this monstrous_

_Marathon of fear_

The music had emanated from the ring, powerful and clear, as if the band were really there.

"Stop…" Ron whispered.

Ginny let out a breath. "It worked! That, Ronald, is a song called 'Scared to Death', and it's by a Muggle band called Wasp."

"It seems Ronnikens is afraid of Ginny!" teased Harry, who was standing next to him. Ginny rolled her eyes, and nodded to Soleil, who held up her arms.

"Well, everybody? Who wants one? It's three Knuts for one!"

Soleil and Ginny were soon swamped and taking orders for dozens at a time. ("I've got to get one for me mum and family!" Seamus Finnegan cried) In a half hour, they sold out all their stock and Hermione had herded everyone into the Gryffindor common room.

"I hope you're happy now." She said, lips pursed. "I could write you up for that!" But Ginny pulled something from her robes, and waved it in front of the witch's face.

"I saved one for you, 'Mione! If you don't take it…who knows, Ron might just find out about that picture of him under your pillows…!"

Hermione threw her hands up in the air, but Ginny swore she saw a slight grin as the now Head Girl headed up the staircase, ring clutched tightly in hand.

"Well well, Weaseley, it seems illegal operations are now your thing. Trying to raise some money for your poor as dirt family?"

Soleil grinned. She was the type of person who would give anyone a chance, and Draco Malfoy was certainly no exception.

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy! Wanting to buy one of our rings?"

Draco emerged from the pillars he had been slumped against as the massive sale had ensued. He sneered at the young girls, neither of which flinched.

"Why would I want to buy Weaseley's things? Or that of her Mudblood friends?" He was referring to Soleil's mixed lineage; a Muggle father and a witch mother.

Soleil's grin faded, but Ginny's turned to a sneer matching Malfoy's. "Oh shut up, you prat! At least we have the brains to come up with something useful and earn ourselves some money, while you live of Daddy dearest!"

"Shut up." Draco snarled, and Ginny mock-gasped.

"Ooh, have I hit a nerve? Does it maybe have something to do with the fact that said Daddy dearest is on the loose, and has thrown his family's reputation down the drain by associating in mass murders? Or maybe it has something to do with when Voldemort went down, and Daddy dearest publicly declared he wanted to bring the Dark Lord back? Hmm?"

Ginny suddenly found herself pressed against the wall, as Draco held his wand just beneath her chin. Hi leaned in, and whispered in her ear.

"You don't know me, Weaseley, no matter how badly you pretend to. I hate my father, but I still don't appreciate what you were just saying." Something flew off his wand. "Careful now, we wouldn't want an accident!"

Draco was thoroughly stunned when Ginny smirked at him, and for a moment, he questioned her sanity.

"I bet you I know you, Malfoy. Be here tomorrow, same time, and I will give you a special ring. This one has songs specially suited to your pathetic needs." She pushed him away roughly, ignoring the jab his wand gave her, and stomped back over to Soleil, who had not been worried in the slightest.

"Be there, or be sorry, Malfoy!" Ginny waved cheerfully to him and linked arms with Soleil. The two of them walked up the staircase, leaving behind a very confused Draco Malfoy.

* * *

"I can't believe you, Gin!" Soleil whispered. "I mean, I knew you wouldn't let him touch you, but why would you give him a ring? And a special one?" 

Ginny shrugged as they continued to the common room. "I dunno. Out of pity, maybe." They stopped in front of the Fat Lady's portrait, and Ginny smacked herself on the head.

"Oh, Gods, I forgot to get the new password!" Soleil smiled.

"Well, it's something I thought you would remember rather easily." Turning to the portrait, she called out, "Canary Creams!"

The portrait swung open, but Ginny and Soleil only just stumbled through it, they were laughing so hard.

"Ah, remember Malfoy as a bird?" Soleil giggled. Ginny nodded.

"He needs to lighten up a bit. Listen, you go to sleep, ok? I've got to make the prat's ring."

Soleil rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Gin. What are you going to use for it, though? I've run out of the recordings for all wizarding music!"

"Perfect." Ginny picked up her wand and a ring, along with several rolls of lyrics. "This means ferret-face will have to be subjected to a nit of Muggle music for a while."

"'Night, Gin!"

"'Night, Solizzle." Soleil's giggles were the last thing she heard before she set to work.

* * *

Impressed? Nauseous? Just barely made it through? Tell me what you think, ok? 


	2. Father of Mine

Disclaimer: I can only wish that I had a Time Turner, and were able to find the idea before anyone else, but Harry Potter is not mine.

Draco approached the empty corridor cautiously.

_You are only passing by to make fun of her and throw the ring away. Then we will proceed to insult her family, clothing, and any other thing we find distasteful, before exiting._

With this plan in mind, he sauntered out from the shadows and looked about, as if nonchalantly.

"Wow. You came. I wasn't expecting you to."

Draco turned, an affront forming on his lips, but he swallowed it as Ginny stepped into the light. She yawned, and he could see the bags under her eyes.

"You stayed up?" The question was too friendly, and so he added a 'Weaseley' hastily. She nodded.

"All the best. This is different from our normal model; I had a lot of adjustments to make. You're lucky it's a Sunday, Malfoy, else I'd kill you for marring my sleep. Take it, no need to pay. Bye!"

And before he knew it, she had pressed the ring into his hands and walked briskly away, probably back upstairs to catch a few winks.

Draco stared at the small trinket in his hands, and found that he had no desire to throw it out. A thought struck him then; no insults had been exchanged throughout the whole meeting. He'd talked to a Weaseley as is she were a friend!

Snarling, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room.

As he walked, he growled at anyone stupid enough to get in his way, especially in the current mood he was in. His journey to the Slytherin dungeon rooms left many trembling in his wake.

Halfway down the hall, he called the words, "Purebloods Are Superior," so that he strode into the room just before the portrait slammed shut. The room was empty, no doubt because it was the probably the last warm day they would get before it snowed, and everyone was out enjoying it.

"Gods, Draco, you look like a dragon ran you over. Where is it, so that I may congratulate the creature?"

"Sod off." Draco scowled and threw himself onto the forest green couch. From a spiral staircase came a boy of about his age, slightly spiky dark brown hair and pale green-blue eyes.

"Tsk, tsk, Draco. What's gotten you so riled up?"

"None of your business, Blaise." Draco turned his back on his best friend since they were in diapers, and glared at the stone wall in front of him.

"Just because the Weaseley girl managed to distract you long enough and leave without getting prodded by your sharp tongue doesn't mean you should be so angry."

Draco turned so suddenly he almost fell off the couch. "How did you know?"

Blaise backed into the shadows. "I'm Blaise Zabini, Draco. I know everything." He managed to keep a straight face before collapsing into laughter.

"You prat."

"Oh come on, Draco!" wheezed Blaise. "It wasn't that bad a trick. I swear, you looked like I was going to melt into the shadows at any moment! Really, you must calm down."

Draco absentmindedly fiddled with the ring still clutched in his hand. "But you still knew about the girl?"

Blaise shrugged. "I have my ways." He flopped down in the armchair across the room. "So why is she bothering you so? Even with the blasted rings, you shouldn't have let her go without at least one insult!"

"Didn't I tell you to sod off?" Draco seethed as Blaise laughed again.

"I think you need to rest. I've got to be going, some stupid first year Hufflepuff thought he could pour paint down Carina's shirt."

Draco smirked. Blaise was very overprotective if his younger sister, who was joining Hogwarts for the first time that year and had been inducted in Slytherin.

"Give him hell."

Blaise twirled his wand lightly in his fingers. "Oh, I will." And he strode out of the room, almost immediately blending into the walls so as to go unnoticed.

Draco really pitied the poor boy now.

He straightened, and without really thinking, slipped the ring onto his finger. In a moment, the swirls had melted into a weird, red-purple haze.

Draco was curious. "Play."

_Father of mine_

_Tell me where have you been_

_You know I just close my eyes_

_And my whole world disappears_

_Father of mine_

_Take me back to the day_

_Yeah, when I was still your golden boy_

_Back before you went away_

_I remember blue skis_

_Walking the block_

_I loved it when you held me high_

_I loved to hear you talk_

_You would take me to the movies_

_You would take me to the beach_

_Take me to a place inside_

_That was so hard to reach_

_Father of mine_

_Tell me where did you go_

_You had the world inside your hand_

_But you did not seem to know_

_Father of mine_

_Tell me what do you see_

_When you look back at your wasted life_

_And you don't see me_

"Stop." Draco didn't whisper the word. Rather, he yelled it. "STOP!" The ring immediately did so, and he collapsed onto the armchair, head in his hands.

"What is she doing?"

He cursed himself inwardly for taking the Weaseley girl's ring. She was right. She knew him more than he knew himself. He'd been thinking about his father again, scum that he was, and this jinxed trinket had picked it up.

He glanced a look at it now and found it to be blue and purple. With a mad roar, he ripped the ring off and flung it against the wall.

Who was she to tell him what he felt? How dare she use the trinket against him!

Furious, Draco shoved open the portrait hole, ignoring the cries of the picture's occupant. He all but ran up the stairs, stopping only when he reached the Great Hall.

"Damn Weaseley brat." He muttered, and ran a finger through his blonde hair. Casting a furtive glance around him, he opened the doors.

There was no one inside, save for a few people doing last minute studies, and some chatting girls. Angrily, Draco shut the doors and marched down the corridor, then up towards the Gryffindor common rooms. He took the steps two at a time, eagerly wanting to give the Weaseley brat a piece of his mind.

But he was almost at the Fat Lady's portrait before he realized he couldn't simply go barging in, demanding to see her. It's not like the damned woman would let him in anyway!

He slunk behind a suit of armor, pondering his situation. Moments later, the Fat Lady's painting swung open, and out stepped the brat's giggly friend. She was talking to Lavender Brown, Draco noted, as they descended the steps.

"…So she was really sleepy today." Soleil was saying.

Lavender frowned. "Why she would do something like that for Malfoy, I don't know. Where did you say she was?"

"In the library," Soleil replied. "She said she was studying for our Charms test, but I think she's having a cat nap."

Draco pressed himself against the wall as the girls passed, oblivious to his presence. As soon as they were out of sight, he practically sprinted down the staircase and turned right on a corridor. In a matter of minutes, he had entered the library.

"Now to find her…" he muttered. He walked quickly up and down the aisles, glaring back at Madame Pince as he stepped noisily. He finally found her, nestled behind a large bookshelf.

She was seated on a bench in the back of the R-S section, with her head drooping over a large Charms book. Her hair spilled about her face, and a window next to her made the bright red seem like streaks in her tresses.

For a moment, Draco was stunned. She didn't look so Weaseley-like when she was asleep. Her small mouth was curved into a smile, and her nose was wrinkled slightly. Her knees were draw up to her chest, so that she was half sitting, half lying down on the bench.

She stirred slightly, and Draco jumped, but she didn't open her eyes. In that moment of clarity, though, he regained his composure.

"Weaseley. Hey. Girl." Ginny didn't stir, and Draco sighed. He moved forward and shook her from her shoulder.

"Weaselette." She didn't move. "Ginny!" The last resort did nothing, and Draco drew himself tall. He grabbed her by both shoulders and said,

"Ginevra Weaseley, I command you to awake so that I may beat the living crap from you!" He let go, and she pitched forward.

Awkwardly, Draco threw out his arms. The Charms book fell to the ground, and he distinctly heard Madame Pince 'harrumph!' But her ignored it, and hoisted Ginny up.

"Malfoy?" Her voice is laced with sleep, but it startles Draco nonetheless. Quickly, he pushes Ginny down, and she looks up at him, now wide-awake.

"Malfoy!" She sounds confused. "What're you doing?" Her wide eyes take in the book, thrown haphazardly on the floor, Draco running his fingers through his hair and alternately glaring at her, and her surroundings. "What happened?"

Draco sighed. "Weaseley, are you too stupid to figure it out on your own? You were asleep. I tried to wake you, but you fell. I caught you. Good enough?"

Ginny nodded, although she was still perplexed. "But why were you trying to wake me?"

Draco drew back. He'd almost forgotten! "Right, well, about your ring!" And all his early irritation flooded back. "You think you're so smooth, Weaseley!"

"Yes, actually, I do."

Flustered at the quick retort, Draco stumbled, but continued. "You think you know me? I'm about to show you something I'm sure you don't know about me, Weaselette. Care to take a guess on what it is?"

"What, stupidity?" Ginny snorted. "I was having quite a nice nap, Malfoy, so unless you plan on actually making a point, could you please leave?"

Draco stared at her for a moment, before narrowing his eyes. "That ring. What did you do to it? It played a song, one I've never heard before, about a father."

"Father of Mine." Ginny replied. "I had the feeling it would be first. It's by a Muggle band, I wouldn't expect you to know it." She peered at his fingers. "I don't see it on you. Where is it?"

Draco sneered at her. "I threw it away, Weaseley. I couldn't keep something made so poorly. Poorly, the word seems to fit, doesn't it?"

Draco suddenly found himself on the floor. Ginny stood above him, wand out and eyes blazing. "It took me hours to make that, Malfoy! How could you? I hate you, you stupid, horrible, bratty demon! I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out like your father!"

And she ran out, leaving Draco on the floor of the library, still staring at where she had been before.


	3. The Snow War

Thanks to all who reviewed. More action in this chapter, maybe.

Disclaimer: Copy and paste fic. Copy and paste favorite disclaimer from any other fic and insert Harry Potter related words. Fic complete.

When had she changed?

Draco still remembered when Ginevra Weasley was nothing more than a young stick of girl, who barely stood out amongst her many brothers. Although she was the only Weasley girl for generations, it did not make her more important.

But when had she changed?

He supposed it was in her first year…that was his second, when Ginny had found the diary.

Draco grimaced. _She_ hadn't found it. His own father had hidden the diary in all her books, making sure she would find it. However indirectly, Draco had helped.

But the girl had paled noticeably before, and a gaunt look had haunted her. Draco had noticed before. He had shrugged it off. Of what importance was she to him? Then the story came out about the Chamber of Secrets.

He remembered now, how she had looked yesterday, a few days after their argument, walking down the hall to her next class.

Her time in the Chamber had made her skin a permanent pale color, not an unattractive girl, but she certainly was going to have to do a lot of tanning is she wanted bronze skin.

But the skin was perfect for her. Her vibrant, lustrous red hair fell in straight locks, curling slightly at the ends. Her eyebrows seemed darker; almost a gold color, and her freckles had faded; now only appearing when she was in bright sun or light.

But when Draco had seen her yesterday…she had been in the darkness of the dungeons, her face illuminated only by the torches on the wall. And Draco had been stunned, for the third time that year, by Ginevra Weasley. He wondered if she had a middle name…

Draco shook himself. But the girl had insulted him!

Right. The thing about his father…he supposed it couldn't be her fault. He hadn't exactly been the nicest person. But she had no need to react like that…so harshly too.

When had she changed?

His previous thoughts were immediately sidestepped, as he pondered this question. It was during her time spent in the Chamber, sure enough, but when? She had been there for quite a while…but according to what he heard, she'd been talking to Tom way before that.

That nuisance of a diary! Draco wondered what she could have put in it. She didn't seem like the type to have deep dark secrets.

He smiled wryly. Of course, only considering if a person were possessing you and using you to get at a student so as to murder them, that wouldn't count as deep and dark.

So, when _had _she changed?

Draco groaned. This girl was the last thing he needed on his mind now. It was the first snow of the year today, and he was moping in his room. Blaise had gone out long ago, complaining about the gloomy atmosphere.

So the young Slytherin dragged himself up, and changed into clothes for outside. Nothing extravagant (except for the fact that his whole set was made of puffskeins, and he wearing dragon skin boots).

With a sigh, he proceeded outside. The hallways were empty; every student, from the sniveling first year to the rather pompous seventh year, had run outside.

"Draco!"

He turned to see Blaise running towards him, cheeks red and a wide grin on his face.

"You absolutely must see, Draco. It's a great match, Slytherin versus Gryffindor, as we've beat out Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. We must beat them, it's a snow fight till the finish!"

"Rules are?" Draco couldn't help the smile that came over his features. Blaise's happiness was infectious.

"You have to get snow down their backs, once it's there, you're out. It's actually very hard, and there are magical boundaries. If you get snowed and don't get out, the snow will stick to you and freeze your back for quite a while. Millicent Bulstrode's up in the Hospital Wing right now."

They had reached the great doors just before they came out, and Blaise held onto the latch. He raised a warning brow at Draco. "It's a nightmare out there."

"I've seen worse." Draco's face was grim. Blaise pulled the doors open.

At first, Draco didn't understand what he was seeing. But gradually, it became clear to him. There was a mass of snow being flung everywhere, although it was supposed to get down your back.

On one side, Gryffindor was positioned. He could make out Harry, Hermione, and Ron trying madly to see as they flung snow back at the others.

Blaise and Malfoy tramped to the other side, where the Slytherin team was wreaking havoc.

Draco opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped as Blaise's eyes flashed. Immediately, the blond boy turned and stared straight into the eyes of the Gryffindor fourth year that had managed to sneak up behind him.

In a moment, Draco had pinned the boy down and stuffed quite a large amount of snow down his back. The boy whimpered, and a few curses were uttered as he hobbled over to the sidelines to join the other losers.

"I thought you were gone for a second." Blaise grinned.

Draco pocketed a snowball. "I'd never leave you, Blaise. Who else to tell you about the girl that's been inching closer to you these past few moments?"

And, leaving his best friend to fend for himself, Draco marched off to win the Snow War.

* * *

Four hours, several arguments, and a few more trips to the Hospital Wing later

Draco leaned next to a tree and smirked. Slytherin was gone. Blaise had been taken down by a bunch of Gryffindor sixth years, and was now sitting on a bench, watching the other boy closely.

Gryffindor now consisted of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ginny Weasley. Her brother had landed himself into quite a bit of trouble when he'd come upon a few malicious first years.

Draco eyed them meaningfully. They'd tried several times to get him, and he'd dodged every effort—well—effortlessly.

But his eyes narrowed as he saw Ginny stand on the mound.

She was, he had to admit, striking. During the past few years, she'd grown into her figure, and although she had a bit more ways to go, she was still developed enough. She had on a thick white stockings, and white knee length boots. Her hair was kept still under a purpled beanie, and she wore a thick, peacock purple coat. Draco could just see the hem of her white skirt peeking out from underneath it.

Ginny was whispering something to Harry, who looked askance. Instantly, anger filled Draco. He'd heard Ginny had a crush on Harry, and this simple act where they were close together was actually infuriating him.

Thankfully, Ginny moved away and whispered into Hermione's ear. She took on the same expression, but after a moment of Ginny's pouting, they seemed to relent.

And so, Ginevra Weasley began to walk towards Draco Malfoy.

Instantly, he straightened, and tossed the snowball he kept hidden behind his back a ways up. It fell back into his gloved hand, and he smiled in anticipation.

"Malfoy."

Ginny had reached him, and greeted him with a curt nod.

"Weasley." Draco did the same. Now the girl was smiling. He must have looked perplexed, because she waved a hand airily.

"Beautiful day, too good to be sad."

Draco nodded dumbly, until she leaned in and winked. He was entranced by her wide, amber eyes, which is why he almost didn't catch her next words.

"Perfect day for snogging."

"Wha—?" Draco was cut off as the youngest Weasley pressed her mouth against his. Vaguely, he heard Ron get up and scream a slew of curses his way.

_The snowball…_

A voice in his head reminded him, but he was feeling sluggish now. He couldn't seem to move, and although his mind was telling him to move back, his body just wasn't into it.

He shivered suddenly as something cold and wet slid down his back, and Ginny leaned back. It took him a moment to realize, but soon Draco felt the tingling of the snowball, and his face turned a heated red.

Ginny held up a glove, slightly damp, and grinned. "Looks like you'll have to wash out your mouth now, won't you, Malfoy? To avoid contamination."

Her words hurt, but before he could say anything, she was gone, swept away by a sudden crowd of Gryffindors. Harry was hugging her, and he felt a sudden pang.

"Way to go, Ginny!" Was all he could hear.

"Congratulations, Draco. It'll be all the Slytherin population will talk about for weeks now. A Weasley, snogging a Malfoy?"

"Oh, shut up." Draco did not turn to Blaise. "I need to go rest."

"Just because you know you enjoyed it and wanted to spend much longer in her embrace doesn't mean you have to be so touchy." Blaise grinned, and Draco was shocked at how well the boy could interpret his feelings. Blaise winked.

"But go on, mate, have a good lie down. Bloody hell, I thought the Weasley boy was going to kill you, though. Good thing Granger held him back."

Draco walked away, and Blaise's laughter followed behind him. But he couldn't care less. All he could remember was Ginny, leaning in.

Ginny, with her warm, ocher eyes. Ginny, who had in the space of a few seconds, completely unraveled years of built up emotion.

Where had the girl learned to do such things? Draco peeled off his sopping wet clothes, and put on his pajamas. As he lay in his bed, mind swirling with emotion, he realized she had dimples. Had she had those before?

Draco turned over, tuning out the noise of Slytherins returning from outside, doubtless discussing him. When Blaise walked in, as they shared a room, he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. But his friend wasn't fooled.

"Draco, when you decide to get over the fact that yes, a girl, and a Weasley and a Gryff nonetheless, has perplexed you, there's some chocolate's I've filched from the Great Hall for you on the bedstead. 'Night."

As the lights flickered out, and he heard Blaise's steady snoring across the room, Draco's brow creased. It seemed he was right. Ginny Weasley had served to confuse him more than any other person, boy or girl, had ever done before.

When had she changed, indeed?


	4. Devil's Snare, Giant's Stare

Disclaimer: All except for the plot here belongs to JKR.

Ginny had never really cared for church.

Her whole family was non-religious. She believed it had something to do with God persecuting witches and wizards, but no one ever really clarified for her.

Soleil's father was a Catholic. He had very mixed feelings on his wife and daughter, at least, when it had been announced they were witches. But now, he was ok with it. Joyful, even. Such is the power of love.

Ginny had once gone on a week's holiday with the Garneau family. The Sunday before she left, she had gone to a Catholic mass. She would never forget what she saw and heard.

It was a marvelous building, soaring towards the heavens and with a bell tower rang out raucously at noon. The doors were made of oak, and as she pushed them back, the smell of incense filled her nose.

It was amazing, what the people felt there. It was a sort of unity; a family, of mixed people. The Wizarding world could probably never comprehend how magical this place was. For one moment, Ginny felt part of a higher being, as if she was no longer the forgotten Weasley; she was someone.

It was more than she had felt in her over sized family, or in Hogwart's even larger one. It wasn't like she went to church every moment she got. But it was something, that memory. It was a reprieve, a solace, if you will.

"Oi! Ginny!"

She turned to find Soleil peering at her weirdly. The raven-head was trying frantically to put on a pair of pants and boots while at the same time finishing up her Charms homework.

"Finally! I've been trying to get your attention for ages! Come on, Gin, we're going to be late for class, and I really need to know what the movements are for hovering charms!"

Sighing, Ginny walked over and took the quill from Soleil. She looked over at the piece of parchment, smiled, and scribbled down a few things.

"You just needed to remember the flick at the end, it's very important." She sat down and resumed the arduous task of deciding her hairstyle for the day.

"Stop being a smartass, Gin."

Ginny mock glared. "Oh, fine then, curse all you like! But we'll see if I help you next time you're in desperate need of my answers!"

"As if I'm ever." Soleil deadpanned. A moment later, she glanced down at her Potions homework, lying unfinished on the desk. "Ginny, my dearest, best friend. I was wondering, have I told you how brilliant and sharp-witted you are lately? And how beautiful too, and look at all that…that…model-esque stature you have!"

"Suck-up." Ginny laughed, but took the parchment and quickly finished it, just as Soleil stepped out, fully clothed.

"Let's go, then!" The cheery girl chirped. Ginny rolled her eyes but followed her out into the common room. Ron looked fit to burst, as Harry had just beaten him in Wizard chess for the fifth time in a row. Ginny couldn't help but let a comment go by.

"What's up, Ronald? Some bird make you go all red in the face? If you want, I'll ask 'Mione for lessons, she'll surely give them to you!"

She and Soleil narrowly escaped as hexes hit the portrait hole. The Fat Lady glared irately at them, and refused to open for the people inside.

"…Teach them manners." She mumbled.

"Aren't they going to be late for classes?" Soleil asked, wide-eyed. Ginny smirked.

"Serves them right. Come on, now. We've got Herbology first thing, then Charms."

"Oh, Gods!" Soleil cried suddenly. "I've just remembered, we've got a Charms test and I haven't studied!"

Ginny wasn't paying much attention to her friend's moaning. Soleil was something of a genius, although she was very, very lazy. She would probably pass the test with ease, then shrug it off as a lucky occurrence.

"Geez, Gin. Check out the snow!"

Soleil's exclamation caused her to turn, and when she did, she couldn't help but utter a gasp. It was falling so thickly, and so quickly, the grounds were totally covered. She could see that it had covered much of Hagrid's hut, and gulped.

"Don't we have class with Hagrid today?" she muttered under her breath.

"No way!" Soleil narrowed her eyes. "If they make me go out there…someone's getting hurt!"

The two giggled, but made their way down to class all the same. Outside, Professor Sprout was jogging to push all of the children in. "Come now, come! We're going to have class in here, down in the dungeons!"

"The dungeons?" A girl gasped. Ginny tried desperately to remember her name. "But…there's a class, and surely, we need light for plants!"

Everyone knew it as an excuse to abstain from seeing Snape until it was inevitable, but Professor Sprout merely chuckled.

"Yes, yes, I know. But Professor Snape has graciously allowed us to stay on the other side of his room, as long as we stay quiet. And besides, we will be studying a new breed of plant, which needs darkness."

"What's this plant called?" Soleil sounded suspicious.

"Devil's Snare!" Professor Sprout exclaimed happily. "Dumbledore had finally allowed it, and we have a small sprig of it downstairs. Come on, it's waiting!"

And Sprout was gone, heading for the dungeons. Absolutely no one moved, until the girl Ginny was still trying to figure out, made a choking noise.

"She's mental."

"Off her rocker." Someone agreed.

"Devil's Snare?"

Ginny stared hard at the girl, then sighed and spun on her heel. "Let's just get down there, and get it over with."

Everyone looked at her the same way they had regarded Sprout. She shrugged.

"What? It's not like we'll touch it or anything…"

Oh, how wrong she was.

* * *

Ginny almost choked as she realized what class Snape was having at that exact same moment. It was her brother's, and from the glares he was sending her, he was still upset about the comment this morning. 

Harry was grinning, and Hermione smiled at her. Ginny returned the smiles, and turned to find Soleil when she locked eyes with Malfoy.

Surprisingly, he wasn't staring at her with hate. Rather, he seemed confused, and somewhat flustered.

"Come now, class! We have to dissect this Devil's Snare immediately, while it's still writhing!" Professor Sprout now seemed very much excited, and did not seem to notice the weird looks she was getting.

"You said we didn't have to touch it!" The girl Ginny still couldn't remember hissed at her. Soleil shrugged, taking her friend's side.

"It's not her fault! She didn't know!"

"Whatever." The girl rolled her eyes and stalked off. Ginny smiled at Soleil. She turned and stooped to gather her bag, but when she straightened, she realized that Malfoy was still staring at her with the same expression.

Feeling rather unnerved, Ginny spun on her heel and immersed herself in the work.

* * *

By the time Potions class was over, it became apparent that there was a huge blizzard outside. Dumbledore had sent a notice to all the teachers, saying that the last outdoors class for all students would be Care of Magical Creatures, which would be taking place right now, and be attended by all the students. 

"Poor Hagrid." Ginny walked alongside Hermione and Soleil. "He'll have so much on his hands…I wonder what he has prepared for us today?"

Hermione shivered as they exited into the snow. "I hope it's nothing dangerous…" after a moment, all three burst into giggles.

Upon arriving at Hagrid's cabin, they found a huge crowd. Of course, seeing as the whole school was in attendance, it was normal. Several other teachers had gathered to help with the students.

"Alrigh'!" Hagrid emerged from his hut. "Were goin' ta see Grawp! He's come ta visit me, an' I plan ta properly receive him! Into the forest, now! All of ya!"

There was a moment's hesitation, before the teachers began herding the students after Hagrid, who had strode in.

The darkness in the forest was even more overwhelming with the added canopy of snow. Hagrid led them all a good way in, before placing his hands on either side of his mouth and facing east.

"GRAWP!" The words were so loud; every person feared there might soon be an avalanche of some sort from the trees above them. A rumbling did come, but it was not that of the snow falling…

"Haggy!" Grawp called joyfully. "Hermy!" He also cried, catching sight of Hermione. She waved weakly. Grawp had learned much English over his time spent with Hagrid, but had soon retired to mountainous regions up north.

"How be you?" Grawp extended a massive hand at all the students, who were gazing up at him in fright. Many simply nodded their heads, except for one certain person, who walked past the students to stand next to Hagrid.

Ginny Weasley smiled cheerfully up at the gargantuan man in front of her. Hagrid was blinking at her in surprise as she waved a hand, attracting the attention of Grawp.

"_Sonorous…_" She whispered, and her voice grew louder. She spoke normally, but Grawp could understand exactly what she was saying.

"Hello, Grawp. I am Ginevra Weasley. How are you? I'm fine."

Grawp looked confused for a moment, before smiling largely. "Grawp fine, fine! Ginny pretty!"

Ginny beamed as he used her nickname, and also at the compliment. "Why, thank you Grawp! I suppose you've come to show us something?"

Grawp nodded, and looked to Hagrid. The man did not seem to be upset about having his lesson interrupted, in fact, he was rather pleased, and waved Grawp on. The giant held out a hand.

"This giant hand. See how hard?" Grawp took the dagger Hagrid had removed from his belt, and sliced I against his palm. There was no scar, nothing. He pressed harder now, the point digging at his skin, but nothing penetrated.

"Giant skin very hard. Careful, careful, when giant mad!" Grawp waved a warning finger, and everyone nodded. Grawp smiled, and brushed himself off. "Big snow coming. All in! In big cave now! Bye!" He looked down at Ginny, and grinned widely at her. "When Grawp come again, her bring gift for you, pretty Ginny!"

She waved. "Bye!" Then touched her wand to her throat. "Quietus." Grawp waved merrily and padded away.

There was a long, draw out silence, before Hagrid turned to Ginny and clapped her on the back. She almost fell over.

"Great! Just great, Ginny! Tha's fifty points ter Gryffindor right there! Keep it up, Gin! Now, come on, everybuddy, time to get in!" teachers and students alike cast Ginny incredulous looks as they stomped past her.

Hermione opened and closed her mouth. Ron put a hand over his eyes, and Harry seemed to be having difficulties breathing.

"When we first met him…" Hermione's voice was hoarse. " We were _terrified_!"

"Well. Not me!" Ginny replied cheerfully. She turned to Soleil, who was grinning shrewdly. "I'll meet you in the Great Hall in twenty minutes. I just want to see if I can convince Hagrid to let have a niffler! I've wanted one for ages!"

"And so the plot thickens…" Soleil laughed, and lead the stunned Golden Trio into Hogwarts.

Ginny sighed, and was about to turn around when someone grabbed her arm. She turned and found herself face to face with Draco Malfoy.

"What was with that trick, Weasley? Trying to prove something?" He sneered at her, but Ginny detected something else. She smiled winningly at him.

"Why, Malfoy is that _concern_ I hear etched in your voice? You were worried for me?" She had meant it as a joke, but when Malfoy didn't answer, she panicked.

"You were actually worried?"

His eyes hardened. "Of course not. Forget it, ok? Let's just go back to the castle." They both turned.

…Then turned.

…………Then turned.

"Where in all the seven hells are the tracks?" Malfoy seemed to be on the verge of tears.

"Oh my God." Ginny fell to her knees. "We're lost!"


	5. Lost

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.

Draco and Ginny were cold, tired, and hungry.

It had been almost five hours since their discovery that the quickly falling snow had obliterated the tracks of their fellow students. They had tried all sorts of spells and incantations, but Ginny, being a sixth year, was not so sure on all her spells. Draco, on the other hand, was not sure what spell could have helped them.

He had tried Point Me, but seeing as both of them had no idea where the wand was, as the snow covered their vision, the idea was abandoned very quickly.

Now Draco hurried ahead, looking for any sign of Hogwarts. He was freezing, and shivered every few steps. The snow was going up to his knees.

Behind him, Ginny wasn't faring much better. She hugged herself, trying desperately to keep behind Draco. She had thought he'd leave her first chance he'd get, but surprisingly, he had ordered her to walk in his footsteps.

Ginny bit down on her lip, trying more to keep it warm then to push away aggravating thoughts. Draco turned to check on her every few moments, and she forced up a smile each time. But as they stumbled along, she began to weaken.

She looked at the gloves, the snow-white gloves on her hand. They were thick, but failed to keep out the pelting ice. Her head was beginning to pound now, and she began to slow. Draco's shadow soon disappeared, but her lungs were too weak for her to shout.

Ginny looked up, and saw nothing but swirling, twirling white. She leaned forward, then back, and tried to face front again.

But everywhere she looked, it was white. The color was closing in on her, pressing against her body, until it fizzled to gray, and finally to peaceful, relaxing black.

Draco wiped more snow from his face, and cursed his stupidity. Why had he stopped her? She should have been safe, in her dormitory, chatting with her friends.

He knew the teachers would be looking, but no amount of magic could help them in this weather. Feeling terribly alone, he turned back to check on Ginny—

And found her gone.

Shocked, Draco stood still for a moment, before a blast of icy air hit him.

"Weasley!" He called, his voice cracking. He turned all the way and began to slush back. "Weasley! Are you there!" There was no answer, and panic clutched at his heart.

Pushing forward relentlessly, he searched to find her. _A tuft of red hair, a freckle, a finger, anything!_ He pleaded mentally.

"Ginny!" His call was loud now, and he heard a rumbling overhead. Draco ignored it, and took another step. Something stopped him, however, and sent him sprawling.

He sat up, coughing, and wiped the snow off his face. Turning around, he saw what had tripped him.

A mound in the snow, with scraps of purple just barely visible.

Draco gasped loudly, and scrambled over. In his haste, he tripped many times, but he reached Ginny in a moment. Digging furiously, and muttering "Incendio!" under his breath a few times, he managed to get her out. He stopped, and stared.

Her face was blue, and she seemed to have lost her gloves and hat. Her eyes were frozen shut, and Draco couldn't detect any sign of breathing.

"You're not going to die on me, Ginevra Weasley!" he shouted, more to the blizzard than her. "Do you hear me? You stay alive, or—or—I'll kill you if you do die!" Silly as it seemed, Draco felt an instant strength coursing through him.

_If I lose her…_

Draco shook his head. First off, she wasn't going to die. Secondly, what did he care? She was just a girl, and a Weasley, and a Gryffindor at that. All these reasons to hate her…why should he care?

But as he took in a deep, shuddering breath against the cold, Draco's mental wall cracked slightly.

His father had torn him away from all his relationships, claiming emotions were weaknesses. His mother, too weak to do anything, had simply nodded along.

But Ginny Weasley had always had a spark. The first time they had met, just before Luscius Malfoy handed her the infamous diary, he had said a few biting words. And without fear in her eyes, she had snapped back.

He lived to see her eyes light up when she was angry, and how she would grin impishly through all his insults.

He would marvel at how she seemed to pass through his words like a knife slipping through butter, and how she would retort faster than lightning.

He was enamored by her laugh, melodic and tinkling. It was a sound he was longing for now, as she showed no signs of waking.

Draco, unable to sit still for much longer and watch Ginny's spirit fade away, lifted her into his arms. The snow instantly flew into his eyes, blinding him for a moment, but he was unable to reach his wand, and he wouldn't drop Ginny now for anything.

Suddenly, through the howling wind and storm, he saw a small, dark opening in front of him. It was filling up fast, though, with snow and would soon be invisible. Moving faster than he thought possible through the flurry, he darted towards the cave.

Draco fumbled for his wand, and grasped it with two fingers held under Ginny. "Incendio!" He cried, and the wall of snow building up in front of it melted away. He had just collapsed inside with Ginny before the wall began to build up again.

Draco leaned Ginny against the wall and found a pile of dead leaves and branches in the corner of the cave. The cave was dark, and the rapidly rising snow wasn't helping much. As it would provide insulation, Draco didn't bother removing it.

As soon as he thought he had enough dry things, Draco built a small circle of stone around the crackling pile.

"Incendio!" He said once more. Never had he been more thankful to learn that spell then when a fire burst up instantly.

But he wasn't done yet. Grunting, Draco moved Ginny to the side of the fire, then removed his own coat and draped it over her.

Now satisfied, the blond haired boy pondered on the creature before him. What was it Blaise had said?

_"…A girl, and a Weasley and a Gryff nonetheless, has perplexed you…"_

Draco groaned. For once, he admitted defeat. The girl was the most confusing enigma he had ever come by.

As Draco leaned against the wall, his exhausted body shutting down, a single, fleeting thought went by.

_Puzzling indeed, but I will figure her out._

**

* * *

Poke**.

Draco stirred slightly.

**Poke.**

He waved his hand at whatever was annoying him and turned over. "Leave, you damn house-elf." He mumbled.

**Poke****Poke**.

"You keep house-elves? Ashamed, Draco, I'm ashamed."

Draco shot up, his eyes opening wide. Ginny laughed and fell back, kicking her legs up in the air. Draco watched, stunned, until she sat up.

"You should have seen your face, Draco! Hilarious!" she wheezed. Then her face turned somber, and a soft smile appeared. "But thanks."

"For what?" Rubbing sleep from his eyes, Draco gazed at her. She rolled her eyes and scooted closer to the fire.

"For saving me, dummy! Geez! If you hadn't come back and apparently dragged my limp body—,"

"Carried." Draco interrupted. She looked at him queerly, but continued.

"Yes, well carried my limp body back, who knows what could have happened? And for lending me your coat—," she pointed to said object, which was lying next to him, "And for the fire. Basically, thanks for keeping me alive."

"You're welcome," Draco said. He looked at he snow wall, and realized it was melting slightly at the corners. "Hey! I think the storm's over!"

Ginny scrambled to her feet, removing her wand from her coat pocket. "How do I blast it down?" she mused. "If someone's out there, I want to come out with a bang."

"Incendio." Draco suggested. She looked at him as if he were crazy.

"I said a bang, Draco."

"Hey, that spell saved your life last night! The fire and the snow!" His eyebrows knitted together. "And since when was it Draco, not Malfoy?"

Ginny shrugged. "You're certainly not acting Malfoy-like. So it's Draco. Are you still gonna call me Weasley or Weaselette?"

"Maybe." He replied, with a mysterious waggle of the eyebrows. Ginny burst into giggles, and he frowned.

"You certainly seem bouncy for someone who's almost frozen to death."

"I have my ways." She said loftily. (Later, Draco found out she used a healing charm while he was sleeping)

Draco frowned, and she smiled. "You need to laugh more. Rictumsempra!" Draco fell to the floor, laughing and wheezing. He tried to glare up at Ginny, but she merely grinned at him.

"I'm not stopping until you're thoroughly happy!"

"But—oh, Gods—I am happy!" Draco gasped out, tears streaming down his face as he chuckled hopelessly.

"Really?" Ginny smirked. "And what could you be happy about?" She kept her wand trained on Draco, who was trying desperately to stop snickering long enough to grab his wand.

"I'm here—with you!" He panted. Ginny let her mouth hang open, and Draco reached his wand. He puffed out the counter-curse, and immediately let out a sigh of relief.

"Did you really mean that?"

His eyes swung to Ginny, who had her wand hanging loosely in her hand. Draco couldn't bring himself to say anything. There was a glitter of emotion hidden in the depths of her eyes…hope, maybe? He grunted instead.

"Reducto!" He pointed his wand to the wall, and it split apart. Ginny's features instantly hardened, and she pouted.

"Oi! I was gonna do that!"

Draco shrugged. "First come, first serve." She held up her wand with a menacing gleam in her eye, and Draco raised his hands. "Orchideous!" A bouquet of flowers appeared, and Ginny stopped as Draco handed them to her.

"Here, to stop you killing me. You can signal them, if you like." Ginny was watching him closely, but a mask seemed to have been slipped over his face. She nodded, and stepped outside, Draco on her heels.

The snow had landed in thickly, covering the trees. It went up to Ginny's knees, which was just below Draco's knees. Apparently, it was midday, as most of the snow had melted.

Ginny grinned. "I have an idea! Do you think any animals could be out yet?"

"No!" Draco snorted. "It's still much too cold outside, and it seems like it might start up again. I'd expect them to be holed up."

"Good!" Ginny cried brightly. Ignoring the look Draco gave her, she pointed her wand to the sky. "Avis!"

A flock of birds appeared, squawking madly. They barely stopped to look around; instead, they flew upwards, to check out their surroundings. All were brightly colored, and decidedly normal looking, which meant they didn't belong in the Forbidden Forest.

"Brilliant," breathed Draco.

"Thank you!" Ginny startled him as she leaned closer. Automatically, he wrapped an arm around her. He looked down at the top of her head, trying anxiously not to breathe in the scent of intoxicating strawberries.

"Getting a bit close now, aren't we Weasley?"

She didn't move. Instead, she stuck her tongue out at him. "Shut your mouth, Malfoy." He adopted a hurt expression.

"Malfoy?"

"You're acting like a jerk, thus, Malfoy."

Draco shook his head. The girl would never cease to surprise him! "Let me get my coat." He murmured, and took his arm back. He sensed a fleeting frown, but it was gone as she nodded.

He trudged back inside the cave, and had just grabbed the garment and plodded out when voices startled him. Ginny waved her arms.

"Over here! Over here!"

Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Hagrid emerged, all looking very worried. In a moment, Hagrid had rushed to Ginny and embraced her in hug.

"Thought we'd lost yer fer sure, Gin! Yer brother wanted ter come out, and so did 'Arry, but I told 'em you'd be found. And look at that, you are!" His beetle-black eyes were watering slightly, and Ginny patted his hand fondly.

"It's ok, Hagrid. I'm fine now, thanks to Draco!"

There was a moment when every teacher did a double take, and it was there that Draco realized how evil everyone thought him to be.

"Mr. Malfoy? I expected to find you in a different cave…" McGonagall trailed off, and Snape looked as if he had just been Stupefied.

Dumbledore, however, was looking rather happy. "Yes, Ginevra, may I ask what happened?"

Ginny told them about getting lost, and passing out, and about waking up in the cave. Draco added his own two cents at the parts where Ginny was unconscious, and by the time the two were finished, the teachers were now definitely immobile.

Draco glanced at Ginny, who winked. She had tweaked the story slightly, making it seem as if she had left something behind, and Draco had just been rather slow.

"I believe," Dumbledore said, eyes still twinkling, "That these two young ones should be released immediately to the Great Hall. They seem to be fine and have no need of Poppy, so there is no need to send them to the Hospital Wing."

Snape looked back and forth between the two, doubtless wondering why they hadn't blasted each other to bits. "But Headmaster, there will be no one in there until dinner."

"Which is in a half hour, Severus. Doubtless by the time we get back, we will only have twenty minutes' wait. In the meantime, these two will be perfectly fine together."

Hagrid, McGonagall, and Snape both looked at Ginny and Draco as if expecting them to object. The two each picked a random snowflake and watched it fall.

"Very well." McGonagall sounded resigned. "In the meantime, Professor Snape and I will be contacting the parents of the two and informing them they are safe, as well as any relatives or friends."

And so the two were led back to the castle, with several befuddled teachers and one very happy Dumbledore.

I really liked this chapter, for some odd reason. Oh, and all spells here are real, all have been used in the book at some time.


	6. Death

Disclaimer: I don't own it! 

Ginny was thinking.

It wasn't like she didn't do it often, but now the gears were really turning. She chanced a glance at the boy sitting across from her, and found him staring intensely at her. A light blush lit her cheeks, and she looked down.

Why was she feeling so distraught all of a sudden? It was only Malfoy, after all. Hadn't she heard about what a vile, loathing cockroach he was? (A/N: Guess who said that…) But since the first time she had met him, she sensed something more behind the façade.

Draco struck her (And most of the girls in the school) as a quite a handsome boy. In fact, he was what Soleil would probably call, "An Adonis masquerading as an Ares." Soleil was into Gods…she'd say something like that.

"What was with the flowers?"

Her own question surprised her. She hadn't been thinking about them at all, but the words had slipped out quickly. Draco looked up, and for a moment, she could have sworn she had seen fear. But it disappeared quickly, and he shrugged.

"You're mad, Weasley. Couldn't be sure you'd kill me or not, so I had to distract you."

"Oh."

Ginny was surprised to find that she felt disappointed at that. But what had she expected? Some sort of confession of everlasting love?

She moved away from the direction her mind was heading, and looked at Draco again. "I'll dance on your grave for you, Draco."

He looked rather confused, and she elaborated. "Ron'll kill you because you've spent the whole night in a cave with me, with no supervision whatsoever. So I'll dance on your grave, and maybe I'll even bring you back to life!"

Draco couldn't help but grin at the look she had on her face, innocent and yet malicious at the same time. You'd've done well in Slytherin, Weasley."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "And I can see you as a Gryff, Malfoy. After all, you did show bravery last night!"

Draco snorted, and she laughed out loud. "By the Gods, I wonder what'll happen though." She toyed with a lock of her hair, and Draco had to fight the urge not to scoot over to the other side of the table and help.

"Happen with what?" He restrained himself, ignoring Ginny's look.

"To us, you know? Are we friends now, or do we part and never speak again?" She was looking at him with rapt attention now, and Draco, all desires forgotten, stared back.

"F—friends?"

She nodded, and he looked down as she let her hand go out.

A multitude of emotions welled up inside of him at that moment, and he tried desperately to keep them down. The only friend he'd ever had was Blaise.

Crabbe and Goyle were muscle, and Pansy was a blithering idiot who thought they were destined.

Of course, this would be letting go of years' worth of hard work, to make these two families enemies. His father, if he ever heard, would be disgusted. His mother…well, his mother wouldn't mind so much.

She'd been given an ultimatum; it seemed, by some unknown being. She had suddenly renounced all ties to those who dabbled in the Dark Arts and were loyal to the Dark Lord. She'd managed to discard of all objects reminding her of her past, and had even made a few Muggle-born friends. Draco had been, at first, disgusted.

"Sometime this century, Draco…" Ginny drew him from his thoughts, and he realized she looked worried, and afraid. She was afraid he wouldn't be her friend?

Draco put his hand in hers, and they shook.

"Friends, Weasley. Don't doubt the school won't have a hard time getting used to it, though."

She merely laughed, and he recognized it as one bubbling with joy. At that same moment, though, the bell rang.

Barely ten seconds later, the huge double doors opened to reveal the Golden Trio, all rushing to Ginny. She was enveloped in a massive group hug, before they realized she had to breath.

"Oh, Ginny, thank the Gods you're all right!" Hermione exclaimer.

Harry grinned at her. "Ron was a pain in the arse the whole time, claiming it was our fault, then Dumbledore's, Malfoy's, and at one point, he claimed Voldemort himself had even carried you away!"

Although Ron flinched at the name, everyone else let out a laugh.

"Well," said Ginny, leaning back, "It was all thanks to Draco here. He saved me, you know."

"Excuse me?" Ron turned to see Draco, whose face was blank of emotions. "Malfoy helped you?"

"Yep." Replied Ginny cheerfully. "He dragged my frozen arse a long way 'till he came to a cave, and he gave me his nice coat and made a fire." She got a devilish gleam in her eye and turned to the blond-haired boy. "And Draco is SOOOOOOO cute when he's sleeping, with his nose all wrinkled up, like this—," and she leaned over the table and flicked his nose, so that he automatically scrunched it up.

"See!" Ginny crowed. "SOOOOOOO cute!"

Draco scowled at her, while the four laughed. Ron straightened up and extended his hand.

"I suppose I owe you a thanks, then." He said it rather grudgingly, though, but a look of pure shock spread through his face as Draco actually took the hand and shook it!

Hermione and Harry were sharing similar looks, and Ginny burst out laughing so hard she fell under the table.

"Nice to be of some help, Ron." Draco sneered, albeit in a somewhat friendly way. Ron turned an ashen color, and dropped Draco's hand. He looked as if he was trying hard not to gag, and Harry and Hermione were following his actions.

Ginny surface, gasping, and as soon as she saw their faces, she collapsed in laughter again under the table.

A few students trailed in, followed slowly by more, and more, until the whole place was fit to bursting.

Ginny was dragged out of the table, and made to repeat her tale as much as possible. When she added that she and Draco were now friends, Ron collapsed and had to be revived with smelling salts, and there was a lapse in the talk.

"Friends?" The girl who Ginny _still_ couldn't be bothered to remember hissed at her, practically suffocating. "What the bloody hell do you mean, _friends_? You're a Gryffindor, and you're from a poor family! He's a high, upstanding Slytherin from a rich family! You have no right o be hanging out with him!"

Draco, who had heard, immediately walked over and gave the girl a wilting glare. "I'll be friends with whomever I choose, you idiot. You've no right to speak to Weasley like that!"

"What about your honor?" The girl jeered. "Your pureblood promises? Would you really shame your family so?"

"Yes!" Draco bit out. "I don't care, understand! As my mother is, I am now. I was led down the wrong path, and you have no reason to say such a thing to me! Why should you care, anyways?" He leaned in, dangerously close, and whispered, "The Malfoy House has changed, witch. There is no hope for those who are still prejudiced."

Draco had no idea where those words had come from. He had heard his mother say similar things, and although he hadn't acted bigoted since his fifth year, the words he spoke still surprised him. Somewhere, he had always thought himself unalterable and dark. But here he was, preaching about something akin to togetherness…

Something flared in the girls' eyes. In a moment, she had pulled out her wand. "Stupefy!"

Draco just barely managed to dodge the attack, and even then it hit another girl behind him. She fell to the ground, and in that moment, everyone ran. No teachers had arrived yet; the Great Hall was unprotected.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" He cried, taking out his wand. The girls' eyes flashed, turning from green to ice blue. And in that moment, Draco understood the horrible, terrible truth.

Harry and Ron had pushed Ginny and Hermione behind them and had formed a wall next to Draco.

"Fulfilling my destiny!" the girl said coyly. The Hall was empty, and with a flick of her wand, the doors shut. The girl laughed. "I've put a binding spell on there. By the time Dumbledore gets through, it'll be too late!"

"Who are you?" Harry yelled. Draco glanced back at him.

"Leave, Potter! This is between me and—," but he was cut off as the girl flicked her wand, throwing him back.

"Let's play a little game, Draco." She sneered. "_Expilliarmus!_" The trio's wands left them. The girl mock frowned. "Aww, are you defenseless? So sad!"

She pointed her wand to them and cried. "Petrificus Totalus!" Ron was caught, falling backwards. Hermione and Harry leapt aside, rolling in opposite directions just as Draco rose from behind a table. It all proved to be a terrible mistake.

The girl had Ginny in her grasp before anyone could say a word, and she cackled. "Isn't this fun, Draco? I take the one thing you apparently care for, someone you dare to call a friend, and we'll see how it turns out."

"Leave her!" Draco cried, limping slightly as he ran towards them. "Leave her now!"

"_Accio_ wands!" the girl cried, just before Harry and Hermione could reach them. She clutched at the two, and stuck them in her robes. "Do you wish to hurt me, Draco?"

If possible, Draco was even paler. "Hell yeah."

The girl laid a delicate finger on Ginny's neck, probing the veins. Then she poked her with the wand tip, a rather sharp one too. "Oh, but Draco, if you try to hurt me, I'll be forced to attack poor, poor Ginevra here. You would just hate that, wouldn't you?"

"You bastard!" Draco seemed livid, and Harry and Hermione, who were lying next to Ron, marveled at his courage.

The girls' eyes narrowed. "Language, Draco. Have I taught you nothing? _Crucio_!" He collapsed, then, screaming in pain.

Harry had heard that laugh before. "Malfoy." He said flatly. Hermione glanced at him.

"Harry, why would you be mad at him now? He's trying to help!"

"Not him!" Harry pointed to the girl. "Her. That's Lucius Malfoy, in the flesh." Hermione gasped.

"But how?" Then a thought struck her. "Oh Gods. A Polyjuice Potion?"

Lucius (In the girl's form) laughed madly as he released the curse. Draco was curled into a ball, whimpering slightly.

"Pathetic." He/She spat. "I thought you were better then this. Didn't I raise you better?"

Draco struggled to his feet, lurching forward as if he were drunk. Lucius tsk-ed. "I suppose you have shamed me enough, Draco. You refused to join the Dark Lord, and that was bad enough. But when you befriended a Weasley…Gods! I am upset to call you a son."

"Where's the real girl?" Draco winced, as he steadied himself on a chair. Ginny sucked in her breath as Lucius jabbed her throat.

"Locked in the dungeons. I feed her every few days. She's grown rather skinny. I give thanks to Crouch, for giving me this marvelous idea!"

"Why did you wait so long?" Only Harry and Hermione could tell Draco was stalling and waiting for an opening.

"I was watching you, Draco. You've changed, and I suppose it's from that damn woman who calls herself your mother!"

"You have to call her names, like beating her wasn't enough?" Draco replied coolly. He was hit with the Cruciatus Curse once more, and he writhed on the ground as Lucius held the curse much longer then need be.

When he stopped, Draco couldn't stand. He stayed on the ground, breathing hard, trying not to gag.

"I have no use for you anymore." Lucius said softly. "I will kill you. And when I am done, the Weasley girl and boy, the Mudblood, and Potter will die. When the Dark Lord comes back, he will place me at his right hand! We will be unstoppable!"

"He's not coming back." Draco choked out. Lucius ignored him, seeming not to notice as his son pulled himself up with the use of a table.

A sudden banging and tearing noise at the door startled them. "I must cut our meeting short, Draco. Although I will use Avada Kedavra on these other fools, I felt something else would be sufficient for you. I will kill the girl first," Ginny's eyes widened. "And you will watch. _Accio_ knife!"

It seemed to happen rather slowly. Hermione stood and ran for the door, uttering counter-charms to help those outside. Harry ran for Ginny, but being closest to the door, he was too far.

Draco was running, faster then he probably ever had in his life. He sprinted down the aisle, and from the corner of his eye, he could see the knife flying behind him.

But Ginny was there, looking terrified, and Draco put on an extra spurt of speed. He jumped, and time stood still.

(A/N: If I'd ended the fic there, you would have killed me. So here…)

The knife hit him squarely in the chest, going into his body until the hilt pressed against his skin.

Lucius cursed. "The poison on it will kill you anyway! It's basilisk venom!" He raised his wand. "But I shall kill the girl, and you will still see her die!"

The doors burst open, but Draco was far past caring. He lay on the ground, feeling an intense heat searing up his side, and held up his wand.

"A—Avada Kedarva," He whispered. The green beam shot out from his wand. It was a smaller beam, as he was weak, but it hit the girl. She fell back, her face changing almost immediately.

A gaunt, pale face, shadowed by stringy, unkempt white hair. Lucius Malfoy fell back, his eyes wide. Death had dealt him a blow, handed down by his own son.

Ginny stumbled away from him, and fell to Draco's side. "Oh…Oh, Draco, no! Why'd you do it!"

Harry was next to her, removing the knife as Draco hissed in pain. He ran a finger over the wound, which was bleeding profusely. Dumbledore was heading towards them, but it was late…too late…

"You fool…" Ginny was crying. "You stupid, stupid fool."

Draco couldn't see her clearly. Everything was so distorted, and there was a white fog closing in.

"L—li—live well, Ginevra." He managed. Then everything was gone, and the voices around him stopped.

All was at peace, for once.

Thank you to all reviewers! I'll update soon, I swear it!


	7. The Mad Plans of Lucius

Disclaimer: Don't own it!

If there were any way to describe death, it would be "wondrous". There is, depending on how you die, a huge burst of pain at the end.

Then there is that one, clear moment, where everything you've ever wanted seems to be rushing towards you. You lose all hope of ever going back, and in doing so, welcome what is to be.

Then there is peace.

Startling, beautiful, wondrous peace.

You are floating, floating on clouds, soaring higher then anyone could ever fly, and as you look down, all you can see is white, and yellow, and orange, and green, and all those other colors most people haven't even discovered yet.

And so, Draco Malfoy found himself in this position, ready to cross over, with no doubt in his mind that this was the end.

That is, until he got to the end.

There seemed to be darkness ahead, and no matter how hard he tried to veer away, something was holding him back. He closed his eyes and hit the black void.

In that moment, only the Cruciatus Curse could have surpassed the pain he was feeling now, and only just barely.

"I don't think we should have awoken him so soon, Albus. He seems to be in horrendous pain."

"Poppy, he has reason to be, seeing as it was basilisk venom running in his veins."

"But didn't Harry get bitten? He lived, and there was no pain for him!"

"Yes, Poppy dear, but Harry was fortunate enough to have Fawkes by his side and he was not wrenched back to life after he could have been declared legally dead."

Through half-lidded eyes, Draco realized he was in the Hospital Wing. There was a bandage going over his bare chest, and he could feel a bandage on his leg. Madam Pomfrey gave him a look that clearly said she didn't hate him anymore, and was rather relived he was alive.

Dumbledore smiled and leaned over the bed. "Welcome back, Master Malfoy. I trust the experience was alright?"

Draco groaned and turned over. His eyes caught a flash of red, and he lifted his head slightly. Ginny was curled up into an over-stuffed chair, her hair falling over her eyes. Draco recognized that she was sleeping.

"She hasn't left your bedside for the three days you were here, Master Malfoy." Dumbledore was smiling. "I think she was very worried for you."

"Three days?" Draco mumbled, as he opened his eyes a bit more.

Madame Pomfrey cut in. "Yes, three days. That was quite a lot of venom, and even when Dumbledore managed to get Fawkes to lend a few tears, you were gone, as I saw it. But Albus insisted we give you the potion anyways, and look at that!"

"Powerful things, phoenixes are." Dumbledore winked, and Draco managed a tired smile.

"Why wake me up? I was rather happy." He said, sitting up awkwardly. Dumbledore cast a glance at Madame Pomfrey, who huffed unhappily, but left.

"I have reason to believe, Master Malfoy, that the death of your father was a very, very bad thing."

Draco was stunned. His father was dead? He knew he had uttered the Killing Curse, but as weak as he was, wouldn't the curse have backfired?

There was, however, a very brief moment of grief. Draco's eyes did not prickle with tears, nor did his world come crashing down. It had done so two years before, and it was about time he started rebuilding it.

"What do you mean, his death was a bad thing?"

Dumbledore pulled out his wand, and summoned up a plushy armchair. He seated himself upon it, and steepled his fingers. "Lucius had apparently, despite the evidence, decided that Voldemort was still alive. He was insane, of course."

Draco snorted. Dumbledore pretended not to notice, and went on. "He had been plotting to somehow rid the world of Muggle-borns, and thus when his master returned, he would come back to a world full of Purebloods.

"Lucius set to work on the making of a creature that could fulfill his needs. He murdered many vampires, werewolves, phoenixes, griffins, chimeras, basilisks, any magical creature he could get his hands on."

"How come we didn't hear about these murders?" Draco demanded. Dumbledore gazed at him from over his spectacles.

"There are some things people should not know." He cleared his throat, and continued. "Lucius spent days, sometimes weeks in mad stupors in a hideaway whose whereabouts are still unknown. He would tear the essences and magic away from the creatures, and mix them together. Somehow, he managed to mold the magic into an ultimate Dark God.

"This being, he kept trapped inside a vial for several months. Upon deciding to use a Polyjuice Potion to get into Hogwarts, and close to you, he decided to set the being free. But first he created a binding spell, one that bound the being to kill all those not seen fit by his standards. Namely, Muggle-borns and those associated with them."

Draco stared, stunned at this piece of information. Dumbledore did not seem to notice, and continued.

"Lucius let the creature go, trussing it to his lair, until he died. It could not leave until his death, and even then, it was to wait a few months. Exactly five, I believe."

Draco did some quick math. "So…it should come around sometime in May?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Lucius christened the being Desdemona, which means ill-fated one or misery in Greek. He had plans for her."

"Why are you telling me this?" Draco was fairly spooked at this point, as he felt the old man's stare bore into him.

"Lucius still believed there was a chance of getting you back. He made it so that the only person who could find Desdemona was a Malfoy. And seeing as your mother is not up to the job—,"

"You want me to find her." Draco interrupted. "Oh joy, I get to hunt down and find the evil creature that will kill thousands, and probably kill me in the process." He eyes Dumbledore warily. "How do I kill her?"

Dumbledore shrugged. "I haven't the faintest idea." Draco was shocked into silence, and Dumbledore turned to Ginny. "Now, Miss Weasley, you can stop pretending to be asleep. I know very well you've heard this whole conversation."

Ginny opened one eye, then the other. She blew a strand of hair of her face and pouted. "I couldn't sleep with all the talking, it's not my fault!"

Dumbledore chuckled. "No matter. I wished for you to hear this anyway." At the odd looks, he elaborated. "Another prophecy, similar to the one concerning Harry, was uncovered shortly before this. It's how we know of the plans Lucius had, and because of it, we know who Master Malfoy must take on his trip."

Ginny's eyes widened. "Me?" She squeaked. "I'm going?"

"Didn't think I would go off on a suicide mission without you, now did you, Weasley?" Draco drawled out.

Dumbledore seemed to ignore the two of them, and he went on. "I have already informed the rest of those who are to come along. They are waiting behind the hospital doors." He gave a flick of his wand, and there was the sound of a door turning. A moment later, a small crowd appeared at the foot of Draco's bed.

Blaise bounded next to him and shook his head. "Good job surviving, Draco, near gave me a heart attack when I'd found out what you'd done."

"Thanks for saving Ginny. That's twice now…" Ron seemed uncomfortable with the whole situation, and was glaring pointedly at Ginny, making sure she knew he thought it all he fault for always getting into trouble.

Harry and Hermione nodded next to him. Soleil, meanwhile, had immediately squeezed next to Ginny on the seat and was smiling brilliantly at him.

"I've got to work with them?" Draco said, eyeing the Golden trio incredulously. Dumbledore nodded.

"They were in the prophecy. They must go."

"What does this prophecy say, anyway?" Harry interrupted. Dumbledore seemed troubled by the question.

"That, I cannot tell you. I know you are upset, and you have a right to be, considering the events that happened last time I withheld a prophecy, but with this one, were I to reveal it, all would be in jeopardy indeed."

"But I have to work with them?" Draco looked at him like the Headmaster was crazy. "I _have_ to work with _them_?"

"Oh, shut up, Draco." Ginny snapped. "Obviously, you do, and you'd better be fine with it. If we don't find and kill this creature, it's going to kill anyone doing anything Muggle-related, and considering your mother's new ways, that means you too."

"I saved your life, Weasley." Draco snarled at her. She smiled at him.

"And I am eternally grateful. But if you could stop being such a prat, I think Professor Dumbledore is waiting for you to accept his offer, and seeing as everyone already has—yes, Professor, I accept also—then it's all up to you."

Draco scowled at her. "I hate you."

"Ditto."

The blond slumped back into his sheets, gray eyes wandering the room. He suddenly realized, everyone there—if what Ginny had said was true and Blaise had accepted—was going to die if Desdemona came around.

Had he been in his fifth year or below, he probably wouldn't have minded so much. Except now…

He glanced at Ginny, who was staring at him defiantly. He realized then that, if he said no, she would probably manage to go anyways, and probably get killed in the process. Something twisted in his stomach, and he felt like gagging.

This was probably all his fault. Had he not stopped Ginny that day in the forest, he would still hate her. His father would still be undercover, and the Ministry might have succeeded in finding Desdemona's lair.

The people around him must have noticed the peculiar look on his face, because they were now looking at him anxiously.

Draco looked to Dumbledore, who still had no hint of emotion on his face, and nodded.

"I'll do it."

Bet you no one saw that one coming!


	8. New Armor, New Lives

I'd just like to say, thank you to everyone who reviewed! You've all been a huge support for me!

Disclaimer: If I owned it, you'd be seeing this fic on TV, and the actors would hang at my house on Saturdays.

"I'm starting to believe Dumbledore is a sick, sick man." Draco muttered as he surveyed the room.

Dumbledore had given them time off from their classes, handing to Draco a piece of parchment with only one sentence written on it.

_Take them and go to the Room of Requirement._

He would've still gone by himself, but he had no idea what the Room of Requirement was, and so had to take along the rest of the babbling group with him. They had passed by three times, hoping for the room Dumbledore was reserving for them, and a silver door had appeared in the wall.

Draco had pulled it open, and had immediately been shocked. As the rest of them crowded in, they noticed the torches flickering gently on the wall.

Chains and manacles hung empty, clacking against an invisible wind. In the very center of the room, a golden chest sat, glowing brightly against the darkness.

"You know, I'm beginning to agree with you." Harry glanced at the chest, then at Draco. "So, oh mighty leader, what now?"

"Sod off." Draco glared at him. "Just because you don't get to be the knight in shining armor for once doesn't mean you have to be so upset."

"I wouldn't _be _so upset if _you_ weren't the leader!"

"SHUT UP!" Ginny had roared, stalling any further arguments. She brushed past the two and stepped next to the chest, kneeling in the same fluid motion.

"Careful, Ginny, it might be dangerous!" Ron called. He was becoming somewhat protective of his little sister. Ginny found it revolting.

"Ron, if I don't check it out, then no one is! You all are too busy arguing with Draco—oh, stop it Ron—to find out about it." Ron still flinched every time she called the Slytherin by his first name.

Ginny ran a finger over the ancient thing, and found no latch. On the top, written in bold script was a sort of poem. She squinted, and blew dust off it. Immediately, the chest made a popping noise. She jumped back, as did everyone else.

Ginny stared at the chest for a moment, and then turned to Soleil. "I can't read it, but considering those calligraphy lessons you took, you should be able to."

Soleil hesitantly padded across the room and knelt down, Ginny following after her. The raven-headed girl took a deep breath, squinted, and read aloud.

" '**The world has erred many times, through countless ages, and countless times. Seven of the promised ones, seven fully armed as one, come forward to breach the gap, and love is honored, love to pass. See the gold and gleaming prize, right before your very eyes. Know now young ones, pain is to be felt, but pick your weapon, take the hand Fate has dealt.**'"

There was a heavy silence.

"Right. Well, it looks like we have all our priorities straight. Stand back so I can open it, Soleil."

They all stared weirdly at Ginny, and Hermione seemed fazed. "I don't understand it, Ginny. Where would it say how to open it?"

Soleil stood and stumbled back, as Ginny rolled up her sleeves and removed her wand. "Simple, silly. That line there, "See the gold and gleaming prize, right before your very eyes'? Well, there's this really weird eye stamped underneath the poem, and I think I know what we have to do."

"But what spell will you use?" Blaise peered at the box. "Where does it say that?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Honestly, and most of you are older then me. The line after it! 'Know now young ones, pain is to be felt'!" I suppose there might be weapons in this box, and we're saving the world, so that explains it. I have to use the Cruciatus Curse!"

"And you'd do it?" Harry's eyes flashed dangerously. "It's an Unforgivable."

Ginny nodded. "But I'm not using it on a person, and besides, Dumbledore knows." That seemed to settle it, and she pointed her wand at the chest. "_Crucio_!"

There was a brilliant silver ray that shot, not from the wand, but the chest. It connected with Ginny's wand, and she seemed to freeze for a moment, before hurtling backwards into the nearest person.

Draco, of course, got to be that lucky person. He closed his eyes as he hit the door, and slid down it rather painfully.

"Ginny, are you ok?" Soleil leaned down over her friend, who was smiling, albeit a strained one.

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks for asking." Draco muttered as Ginny stood. He followed after her, but he realized why no one had asked him anything.

The chest lay open, and a gold essence seemed to be seeping out from it. Draco heard a rattling, and turned to see Soleil trying the door. She turned back, eyes fearful.

"It's locked!"

The quintessence swirled around the room, and everyone held their breaths as it began to obscure their vision. As soon as the room was covered in it, though, there was a huge burst of the golden wisps, and the torches flickered out.

The essence seemed to have imploded, curling rapidly back into the chest.

"Lumos." Hermione held up her wand. "Does anyone else feel…different?" And indeed they did.

Everyone felt lighter, and more agile. Ginny made as if to pinch herself, but something stopped her.

"My robes are gone!" she cried. The lights began to flicker back, building up steadily.

"Nox." Hermione whispered, just as the torches flamed up again. There was a long, collective pause.

Everyone's robes had vanished.

The boys were wearing a weird sort of armor, which seemed to be form fitting leather suits in different colors. Draco's was green, Harry's was silver, Ron's was red, and Blaise's was a startlingly deep purple.

Over the under suit was a series of padding, similar to their quidditch padding, with the exception being that they were all made in armor and considerably bulkier.

However, it felt as of nothing was on them, which took quite a long time, feeling as if you were naked. There were pads running up from just above the ankle (circling the entire leg) ending just above the knee.

There was also the same thing on the arms, wrapping around the arm starting from the wrist up to the elbow, at which point it became slightly more flexible so they could bend their arms without interference.

On their ears were weird metallic devices, wrapping around the lobe to let a small button-sized part enter the ear. On their feet were chunky boots. All the armor was in their respective colors.

But the boys were stunned, staring at the girls, who grinned back evenly.

Ginny was in a stunning white suit of armor that was virtually the same as the boys', but she her under suit extended into boots. Her hair had been pulled back, and she had a low-slung white belt hanging from her waist.

Hermione's armor was the same, minus the belt, and in a vibrant, almost neon, orange color. On her arm was a large, flat watch. Her brown hair had been slicked back also, and she fingered it happily.

Soleil was covered in the palest of blues, and had no watch or belt. Instead, in her hair (Which was also held back) there stood out a pale blue headband, which was metallic. It wrapped around her head, and she didn't seem to notice it, meaning it must have been lightweight.

The girls, in the fairly tight, dominating armor, smiled as the boys said nothing, at a loss. Ginny's heels clacked as she walked over to Draco, who followed her every move without saying a word. She leaned in, and pushed his jaw up.

"Come now, Draco. I don't expect you to get distracted this early in the mission, now do you?" She winked, and he flushed.

"Let's find our weapons!" His voice was unnaturally high-pitched, and the girls let out a giggle as he stalked over the chest and leaned over.

When he surfaced, he was clutching a lithe green bow. He twanged at it and smiled. "Looks like my archery lessons will come in handy after all!" He reached in once more and pulled out a carrier, filled with green-feathered arrows, and slung it over his back so that it crossed over his chest.

He motioned to the others, who joined him.

Harry ended up with magnificent sword, which came with a scabbard and belt. It glowed with diamonds the size of birds' eggs, and the blade was keen and sharp.

Blaise grabbed onto a purple-tinted, double-edged and double-ended axe. It was surprisingly light, and came with a belt.

Ron managed to take hold of a double-ended spear with hints of red. It glowed in the firelight, and as Ron stroked the shaft in admiration, it's blades retracted and it ended up looking like a staff. Using a piece of golden rope he found at the bottom of the chest, Ron tied it across his back.

"Well…" Draco looked inside. "It seems there's nothing left for you ladies." He smirked at them, but was very surprised when they smirked back.

"That's ok, Draco." Ginny replied. "We all have our little secrets." So saying, she patted her belt, Soleil her headband, and Hermione her watch.

The boys stared, before Hermione clapped her hands. "I imagine this is all we need. So, let's get going!"

"Yes indeed, you must get going."

They turned to find Dumbledore looking evenly at them, the hint of a smile on his face. "You have opened the Chest of Ages, and in doing so, have completed the first part of your test."

"Where do we go from here?" Ron asked.

Dumbledore stayed silent for a moment, before turning to Draco. "I cannot honestly say, but I suggest you go to Malfoy Manor and start from there. I will open the gates for you on your way out."

"Wait a minute!" Hermione's voice was shrill. "Professor, what about our NEWT's? Won't we need them? And we'll be missing out on five months' worth of classes, and our parents must be informed, and we haven't packed anything!"

Dumbledore pressed his lips together, calm as always. "This is more than enough to count for full marks on your NEWT exams. You are all the best and brightest in your classes, no other students surpass you. Your parents will be taken care of, and you needn't pack anything. The suits shall help you."

"But—but we're leaving now?" Soleil said. Her voice wavered slightly.

Dumbledore nodded. "I know this may seem harsh for you, Miss Garneau, but it is for the best. We need to find Desdemona and get rid of her as soon as possible. You have the choice of backing out now, but I daresay, you may find you regret it."

He didn't say it in a threatening tone. Instead, he seemed to be warning them. Soleil shook her head.

"No, Professor. Let's go."

Their procession through the halls was silent, seeing as everyone was still inside their classes. They passed the grounds quickly, and arrived at the gates far too soon for their liking. Leaning on the wall were seven Firebolts.

"I decided fast travel was the best." Dumbledore explained. They thanked him with sober faces, and climbed on.

"Merlin be with you." Dumbledore smiled.

Draco kicked off, and the others followed him. He hovered for a moment, staring at the old man curiously.

"If we die—," The question hung empty in the air.

"You won't."

Draco said nothing. He inclined his head slightly, and soared away.

Seven dots, standing against the sky.


	9. Fessing Up

This is very rushed, as I don't think I'll be updating for a while. I'll do a personal thank you in my next update.

Disclaimer: The only things that belong to me are the plot, Soleil (who is, in reality, the name of one of my best friends), a few house-elves, Desdemona, and all the other jazz J.K.R. couldn't be bothered putting in her books.

Malfoy Manor was a horror unto itself.

A huge, looming thing, located northeast of Hogwarts, it stood out as the only house anywhere for several miles.

Why this was, they felt they'd rather not know.

The Manor was located in a small village, Malfoy Intrinsica, and was surrounded by a low stone wall. The Manor itself was about fifteen stories tall.

Draco flew before it for a moment, screwing up his eyes. The others hovered behind him, watching closely. Their attention was diverted, however, when a small, just barely noticeable and chipped green door appeared just underneath a tree.

"House-elf entrance," Draco said. For a moment, he remembered what Ginny had said to him the moment he had woken up in the cave, and he glanced back at them. "We freed the after Fa—Lucius left, and now they're in employment elsewhere, in some sort of elf-run bar in Switzerland."

Ron snorted. "Switzerland?"

Draco pointed his broom into a dive, and neatly swooped. He slowed to a stop and touched the ground. "Good chocolate."

He pulled at the doorknob, which seemed to wriggle for a moment, before disappearing. Draco looked crestfallen. "Damn. Only house-elves can touch it, for security measures, and only elves tied to our Manor."

"What now?" Soleil surveyed their position. "Isn't there a main door?"

Draco shook his head. "Mother is away, an she has taken the key with her. No door into this house will open without that key."

"What about climbing up the—what in bloody—," Hermione had pointed to an open window, and her watch had seemed to twinkle slightly. In a moment, a long, tough fiber had sprung out and attached itself to the windowsill.

"Good job, 'Mione." Ron looked up, squinting.

"What did you do?" Ginny demanded. "All you did was point?" She tried it and nothing came out. "That was SOOOOO cool! Why can't we do that?"

Hermione tugged at the fiber, but it stayed put. "It looks like you'll have to climb up there, and pull me up afterwards."

Soleil looked at the dizzying height, and frowned. "Um, can't we just fly up on our broomsticks?"

While the others gave her stares, Blaise, who had been quiet thus far, waved a hand. "There are wards everywhere, m'dear. Any magical thing attempting to fly over this wall will be incinerated, along with its rider. There were signs a while back."

Draco smirked, and bent to pick up a twig from his broomstick. "Makes for good sport, though." He threw the twig as far as he could. It was almost across the wall when something seemed to grab hold of it.

In a moment, scarlet flames lapped at it, then ended up disappearing in midair, ashes and all.

"Wow…"Soleil whispered.

"I pity your mailman." Ginny said indifferently. "So come on, let's get inside!" She twanged on the rope, and it bounced slightly.

"Ginny, what if it's not stable?" Hermione began, but the redhead had already swung herself onto the filament and inched forward.

"You know, this will take a while, so…" She rolled off to the side, and ended up holding on with her hands, her feet inches off the ground. With what seemed like little effort, she took one arm off the rope and swung it to the front. The other arm soon took over, then the other, and the other.

When she was halfway across the rope, Hermione, who had been leaning back, motioned to Soleil.

"You next. You're lightest."

Soleil nodded, but her face seemed ashen as she grabbed on, and began to swing across.

Ron went shortly after, then Harry. Draco stood for a moment, observing Hermione, who seemed to be only slightly fazed from the strain.

"You're not that bad, Granger."

She grunted, although in a semi-friendly way, and nodded at the fiber. Draco grasped it, and made his way across and into through the window in record time.

As he jumped through, he realized where they were. "This is our parlor, for entertaining guests, so I'd say this is the tenth floor."

There wasn't much there; he and his mother had moved all the antiques downstairs and sold them, as most of them either bit you or cursed you.

Draco turned back around and looked down at Hermione, who was decidedly less pink looking and had moved forwards a few feet.

"Granger! We're pulling you back up!"

Hermione shook her head, and pointed at the watch. "It understands! It understands!"

Draco turned to Ron. "Weasley, I think your girlfriend had gone mad."

Ron snarled a little, but stuck his head out. "Hermione, what are you talking about? It's a bloody watch!"

"Move back!" Was her only reply. Casting dubious glances towards each other, they did as bidden.

"Up!" Hermione could be heard shouting. There was a whirring noise, and a something that sounded suspiciously like a zipper. Suddenly, Hermione popped up in the window, breathless.

A three-pronged hook unclasped itself from behind the shutter, folded up, and disappeared under the beeping watch still on Hermione's hand.

"I can give it verbal commands! That's why it shot up when I asked how we were going to get up there and pointed!" She seemed ecstatic. "And I think it detected the magical barrier, because that's a Muggle invention, a grappling hook!"

"Yes, that's wonderful and all, Granger, but we really must be going." Draco interrupted. Hermione looked a bit dejected, and Ginny shot him a dirty look. He was surprisingly hurt by it, but ignored the feeling and turned, opening the door.

There was no one in the hallway, so Draco led them to his parents' bedroom on the same floor with no problem.

"Mother hasn't latched it since Lucius left." He explained, opening the ornate wooden door easily.

The inside was marvelous; all covered in green and black marble, and in the center of the room was a magnificent, four poster bed. Rows upon rows of bookshelves covered the walls, and on the right side of the room was a large desk.

Draco headed for the desk immediately. "I'll look for some clue of where the lair could be, and you all…just don't touch anything!"

There was a resounding crash, and he turned, seething as he saw Soleil standing over a pile of glass.

"It was a pretty duck character thing…" she whispered. Draco growled, and she jumbled to fit it together.

"Oi, Soleil, just use the spell!" Ginny muttered, and at the same time trying to pull her friend up.

Hastily mumbling "Reparo!" Soleil managed to scramble to her feet. "Sorry about that…"

"No problem," Draco ground out. He turned on his heel and stalked to the desk, pulled out the plush leather chair, and sat down.

"Yeesh. I hope his stupid pleather chafes his arse…"

Harry, Ron and Blaise couldn't help but snicker at Ginny's comment. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I doubt you even know what pleather is!"

"Sure we do!" Ron cried indignantly. "It's—oi, Harry, tell her what it is!" Harry smiled and shook his head.

"It's imitation leather, Ron. It's a Muggle thing, and used for people who can't afford real leather."

"Oh. Oh!" Ron laughed again as the joke really sank in. Ginny had to try very, very hard not to roll her eyes, and even then it was just barely managed.

"What do we do while the dragon's doing his work?" Blaise slumped against a bookshelf, arms crossed.

"Let's do that first-word game, Ginny, the one Lavender was trying to teach us." Hermione glanced at the redhead. " I seem to remember it being very childish."

"You only said so because of your answer." Ginny replied. "Now, let's start with Soleil!"

The raven-head nodded. "Bring it on, my friend. _Bring it on._" The two giggled slightly, and Ginny thought for a moment, then waved her wand in an elaborate pattern.

"Truscio." She murmured. "Now, what is the first thing you think of when you hear the word, 'Boys'?"

"Boxers." Soleil clapped a hand to her mouth, and Blaise, Harry and Ron stared.

"Gin, what did you do?" Ron said. Ginny shrugged.

"It's a spell we learned, or at least, Lavender did. It makes you tell the truth, but it's deeper then Veratiserum, although it can be deflected." She pointed her wand at Ron. "Truscio. What do you think of when I say, 'Hermione'?"

"Kissing." Ron's face turned a deep, deep red, and Hermione's soon matched it. Harry couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him.

"Geez, Ginny, that was awful! I never knew you were so mean," he teased. Ginny pretended to look affronted.

"Oh, really? Truscio!" She cried. "What about Fleur Delacouer?"

"Hot." Harry managed a weak smile as they all laughed. Ginny grinned evilly and looked around. This was going to be fun.

* * *

By midnight, Draco had finished all his father's old documents, or the one's his mother hadn't torched anyway. They were of no help, and he was getting a pounding headache from the cheers erupting behind him every few moments. 

He shut a heavy tome and stood, stretching. With a sigh, he walked over to the group, sitting in a circle.

"I didn't find anything." He told them.

Every single eye swiveled towards him, and he didn't like the way they were looking at him.

"Truscio!" Six voices shouted. Draco felt in unbearable urge to spill about anything they asked him. He blinked once, twice, and looked at them quizzically.

"What'll all that do to him, Ginny?" Hermione asked.

Ginny was squinting slightly, looking at him oddly. "I dunno. I suppose it means he won't be able to not answer. Mind you, this only works for one question, so it had better be a good one."

"Like any of the questions here are good." Blaise sulked. Harry snorted.

"You're just upset because the first thing out of your mouth was 'whips' when we mentioned Soleil's name."

Blaise blushed, and desperate for revenge, turned his gaze to Draco. "Well, we'll see if we can find something different. Draco?"

The blonde stared dumbly at him, riveted. "All right?"

"What do you think of when I say, 'Ginny'?"

There was a long, drawn out silence, in which Draco seemed to be fighting against whatever magic was making him answer. He fingered his bow, twanging the string every now and then.

Ginny was faintly ashen-faced, and was staring at him raptly. Ron, Hermione, Harry and Soleil were riveted to the scene before them.

"I think of…" He said. Then he stopped. "It's too complicated." He answered, leaving it at that. But it wasn't enough for them.

"Truscio! What do you mean too complicated?" Ron stared hard at him. Draco shrugged.

"Too many things going through my head."

"Truscio! Do you like her?" Harry said.

"I don't know. Like I said, it's too complicated."

"Truscio! What exactly do you feel?" Even Hermione was eager to find out what was happening, and everyone watched intently as Draco struggled with this answer.

"I feel—warm, and I feel like—like it's wrong when she's upset, and she shouldn't be that way, and she should always be happy, and I feel—mad at myself for not being like what my parents raised me too, because I want to be friends with her, and that's not supposed to happen."

"Traitor!" Something hissed from the shadows. A small, dark form scurried out from behind the bed, and glided down the stairs.

Draco shook himself, and glared at those around him. "What the bloody hell was that?"

Blaise could see the rising anger in his friends' eyes, and scurried to his feet. "Heh, Draco, Drake, good buddy, old pal! It was a joke, just a nice, nice, joke!"

But as the silver-eyed boy advanced on him, Soleil jumped to her feet.

"Hey, don't you think we should follow whatever it was that was just here? It could be a clue?"

Blaise shot her a relieved look and all but sprinted out of the room, followed closely by the others, and a fuming, blushing Draco.

Soleil glanced down at Ginny, who was getting up rather slowly. "You ok, Gin?"

The redhead seemed dazed, and for a moment, Soleil wondered if she was really affected by Draco's words. Then she shook herself.

"I'm just fine. It would have been better if he had just said something like handcuffs, though…"

Soleil giggled nervously, then followed her friend out of the room. There, they found Draco stringing an arrow to his bow, and moving it slowly down the staircase.

A small green creature with wide, purple eyes and pointy ears was staring at them. Vaguely resembling a house-elf with no clothes on, it pointed a round finger at them.

"You've betrayed the house of Malfoy! Lucius was wrong! You are not his son! Desdemona will kill you for this!"

Draco let the arrow fly, and the creature managed to move away. Ginny caught a glimpse of a forked tail before it started darting down the stairs.

"Follow it!" cried Harry.

They all loped easily down the stairs, and their legs being longer then the creatures, they were soon catching up to it.

"I think it's heading for the dungeons!" Draco said. Ron stopped short, almost tripping Ginny, who was running behind him.

"You have dungeons in your house?"

Ginny shoved him so hard he just barely missed the steps, and instead flew to the bottom of the staircase, hitting it with a loud thud.

"You great big git! YOU DON'T STOP RUNNING FOR SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT!" she shouted, looking very disheveled. Ron whimpered and tried to crawl away.

"I think we should stop teasing Weasley about how scared he is of his sister. It looks like he has reason." Blaise whispered in Draco's ear. The blond nodded, wide eyed, as Ginny brushed some hair out of her eyes.

"Get UP! We have to find this DAMN THING! I want to hurry up and get RID OF IT so I can GO HOME! DO YOU UNDERSTAND!"

Ron nodded, and everyone instantly felt sorry for him. It seemed Molly Weasley had decided to pass on her temper to her only daughter. Ginny instantly softened.

"Good. Now then, let's go inside these dungeons, shall we?"

The creature had long since disappeared, and so they had to rely on Draco's instructions as they loped easily down endless hallways and down more staircases.

Draco stopped just short of a large, mahogany door, and took a deep breath. "If there's anything weird in this castle, it's bound to be in here. Lucius never let me come down here. When he did, he always came back bruised and scratched."

There was a long, long silence. Draco knew what they were thinking. What if, lying behind this door, was Desdemona, waiting to get rid of them?

"Let's do this."

Surprisingly, it was Soleil who said it, her eyes cold with new resolve. She glanced at Ginny. "It seems like nothing's going to happen if we just stand out here, so let's go." Ginny winked at her, and Soleil managed a smile.

"Well then…" Draco had felt his stomach constrict as Ginny had winked, and now he pulled back the latch on the door. "Let's go." The door swung open, greeting them to a murky sort of darkness.

"Where the hell are our wands?" Harry said suddenly.

Hermione blushed. "Oh my. I suppose with all the excitement, we all forgot…" Ginny suddenly stood rigid.

"I think my suit's reacting," she mumbled at everyone's looks. Her hand moved of it's own accord into the big, middle pouch of her belt, which was surrounded by two others, smaller, on each side. She drew out a torch.

"Ok…how do we light it?" Blaise stared at it.

Ginny shrugged. "I dunno. Hermione?" But the bushy-haired girl was way ahead of her. She positioned her watch just in front of it, and whispered "Fire". A small red beam shot out of it, and the torch flared.

They all looked up into the newly lit room.

Ginny heard only a rushing noise, before she stumbled back. Draco grabbed onto her just before she fell down the winding staircase in front of them, and felt a liquid on her suit. He drew his fingers into the light and realized they were a crimson color.

Ginny looked down at her previously pristine white suit and let out a gasp at the blood seeping through the suit from her stomach.

Ginny had always used a very advanced vocabulary, and rarely cursed, unless she was seriously disoriented or pissed off. But now, as seven pairs of eyes became trained on her stomach, only two words escaped her.

"_Holy shit_!"


	10. Demonic Defections

Erm…well, seeing as my muse has decided to become a Harry Potter fan until sixth book comes out in the US, I guess there'll be nothing but HP fan fiction for me. Not like I mind…but I worry for anyone else reviewing my other fics. Tell me if you're upset, and I'll try my hardest.

**Riality: Grazie, grazie, grazie! Your reviews always make me smile!**

**Embellished: I just realized that means over-stated or larger than life…I think that's awesome! **

**Spork Princess: Yeah, I kind of had that reaction to a couple of other fics I read, and look at me now!**

Shoot. I just realized I have to be gone in a few moments, so the next people who review for the last chapter and this one get mentioned!

Disclaimer: Not mine! I don't own anything except for this 50-cent gum!

Ginny looked down again, and then into Draco's eyes, who were wavering. "Holy shit." She repeated, then promptly collapsed.

Draco held onto her limp body and glared into the darkness. "Where are you? Show yourselves?"

Somewhere above them, a light seemed to flicker on. It was followed by another, and another, and another. A line of torches high above them were ignited suddenly, and in their wake left uncontrolled horrors.

Grinning madly up at them was what could only be described as demons, all with sharp, gleaming, knife-like teeth. The demons smiled up at them.

Draco was the first to see it. A small, miniscule thing, yellow in color and perched on the edge of the staircase. It resembled a bird, and as Draco inspected it, he stopped short.

The bird was licking blood from its beak, and staring almost greedily at Ginny's stomach.

"You bastard…" He whispered. The others heard, and their eyes narrowed too as they noticed the blood.

"You the bastard…" hissed the creature they had seen before. It was hanging onto one of the torches, using one arm. "You aren't a part of this family anymore. Desdemona says you die!"

There was a terrible collective screeching noise that began to climb in volume. Draco could feel the blood pounding in his ears, and he screwed his eyes shut.

The screech became louder, and higher-pitched, and Draco began to feel weak. He stumbled and grabbed at the Blaise. His eyes opened at an almost inhuman speed when he realized what he had done.

Ginny was falling, her eyes searching blearily into space. There was a blur of blue that jumped off after her. Blaise scrambled towards the edge of the stairs as he saw Soleil lunge for her friend.

She reached Ginny and wrapped her arms around the redhead's waist, and they fell into the masses of demons.

The screeching stopped instantly, to be replaced by a sort of wild and garbled cheer. The demons began to mob Ginny and Soleil, attempting to rend at their flesh.

Draco began running just after Blaise. Ron shook himself and followed, keeping a close eye on his sister, as Harry loped behind him. Hermione glared at the bird creature, which was flapping its wings to stay aloft, and blinking rapidly.

"Damn thing," she said. The bird dove at her, and with a cry, Hermione fell to her knees as it began to attack her. Its beak was sharper then it had seemed before, and soon blood began seeping from her suit.

She swung her arms up to protect herself, and screamed.

Ron turned around immediately, and seeing her on her knees, turned around. He stopped short of sprinting back up, and looked down at the Ginny, who was feebly pushing the demons away. A pained look crossed his face.

"Go!" Harry cried, seeing the indecision. "I'll get Ginny, I'll get Ginny!" Ron cast him a grateful look and grabbed his spear from his shoulders. The spearheads made a clicking noise as they were pushed out again, and he rushed up the stairs.

Harry practically stumbled the rest of the way down, and as soon as the demons saw the three boys gathered at the edge of the stairs, they were beset by the screeching, flailing hoard.

The creature on the torch shrieked happily. "He fights for her! He fights for her! We will give her to our Mistress!"

A roar went up, and as Harry unsheathed his sword and swung at a purple, horned beast, there was a whirring noise.

Later, they weren't sure where the darkness came from. But they all agreed that in the space of a few moments, a dark, swirling black hole had managed to swallow up several of the demons, and was dangerously close to taking Ginny and Soleil in as well.

It was in the far corner of the dungeons, and was exerting some sort of sucking force, as Ginny, who was lying quite still on her side, was sliding gently towards it.

Soleil stood, wobbling on unsteady legs, and tried to get past the few demons remaining to pull at her. She was bleeding profusely from a long gash on her leg, and her head also.

Blaise started dashing to her, hacking at the beasts with his axe until he had a clear path. Harry was close behind him, his sword thrumming as it dispatched the demonic hoards.

Ron was half-carrying Hermione, who was woozy and on the brink of unconsciousness from a deep wound in her temple. He was half walking, half crawling down the stairs.

Draco stabbed a creature with an arrow, and in the same fluid motion, strung the arrow and shot it. He didn't bother to celebrate as it hit its mark, and already had another two down.

In the next instant, time seemed to stand still.

Soleil's eyes grew wide as the yellow bird, which had previously been licking its wounds on a torch, dove towards her. She was paralyzed, and the birds' beak was aimed directly at her heart.

Blaise gave an anguished moan. There was no way anyone could stop it; the bird was only a few feet away from Soleil.

There was a flash of red and white, and in the next instant, Soleil was pushed down on the ground. She looked up just in time to see the bird strike Ginny through the middle, in the same wound, burying its beak deeper then before.

The force of the impact made Ginny stumbled backwards, until she was teetering on the brink of the whole.

Her eyes grew wider, and became glazed over in what could only be death. Ocher eyes locked with silver-gray ones.

"Help me!" The words were rushed, in a low whisper that Draco had no doubt everyone managed to hear.

Her eyes were soon half-lidded, and she seemed to slump. The bird struggled free of her at the last second, wrenching away from her gut and landing awkwardly on the ground.

Soleil pounced for her friend, but a demon grabbed her already wounded leg, and sunk its teeth into them. She let out a shriek, before her body went limp.

Ginny looked down at her friend, lying in a pool of her blood, and all resolve seemed to leave her. No shriek or cry escaped her lips, and something happened that would forever change Draco as he watched the scene unfold before him.

She fell.

The darkness wrapped into itself, making a slow popping noise as it disappeared. No one, human and demon alike, dared to stir.

Blaise fell to his knees just as he reached Soleil, but he was staring at the far corner, where Ginny had been seconds ago.

"Finished." The creature on the torch mumbled, but it sounded very hoarse, as though it hadn't expected such a climactic end.

The demons melted into the shadows, watching with wary eyes as their enemies stood immobile.

Blaise's mouth suddenly went dry, and he chanced a look at Draco. What he saw startled him. The blonde's eyes seemed to be radiating a frigid air, and his body had tensed. An arrow that had been clutched in his hand was now dangling limply from his fingers, broken in half. His cheeks appeared flushed, and he seemed to be on the verge of screaming, crying, or going mad.

Blaise did some quick thinking, and leaned down. He picked Soleil up gently, and stood. Harry was gaping in astonishment at the far corner behind him, and Blaise pushed Soleil into the dark-haired boys' arms.

"What—?" But before he could get more out, Blaise was at Draco's side. He grabbed his friend's arms, pinning them behind him, and removed the bow from his grasp, dropping it on the ground. The clatter seemed to bring Draco back to life, and Blaise began to reassure him.

"Draco, it's ok, it's ok, please don't—oh Gods, Draco—," he muttered. The pale boy's eyes widened, and he let out a strangled scream.

Everyone's attention turned from where the darkness had imploded to Draco and Blaise. The latter was trying desperately not to pitch forward as his friend strained against him.

"Let me GO! LET me GO!" Draco shrieked. Blaise merely tightened his grip.

"Not until you calm down, just calm down—." He tried to soothe him. It didn't work. Instead, Draco's head whipped around to stare at Ron.

"Why didn't you save her? WHY? You were saving the Mudblood from the bird, you couldn't HAVE SAVED HER TOO?"

Ron seemed to sink into himself. "I didn't—it flew away—Hermione was—" No one seemed to notice what Draco had called Hermione. Ron was trying desperately to make a case.

"I was—Harry was—," he stopped short as Draco's head turned to glare at Harry.

"Of course. The boy hero! The Boy-Who-Lived can't STAND to have anyone else take his title, eh? If she had lived, it would have taken your precious fans away!"

"That's not true!" Harry began, but Draco cut him off.

"You didn't do anything! Too caught up in being a hero, right Potter? If you're such a champion, why the hell couldn't you save your own parents!"

The atmosphere immediately changed in the room. Draco sensed he had crossed a fine line, but he couldn't be bothered to care. Harry's mouth had grown into a thin line. He knelt, and placed Soleil down on the ground.

"Take that back, Malfoy." He spat, standing up. Draco sneered, and Blaise stepped back as he sensed a confrontation.

"Yeah? Why should I? Years, Potter, for years you've been getting all the attention. Now that the Dark Lord's gone, I expect you needed some more! Saved his friends, lost one, just so it could be serious. I bet your parents hate you Potter. I bet they hate who you are."

"SHUT UP!" Harry roared. He had his word in front of him. "Shut the hell up, Malfoy! You don't know what you're talking about! My parents loved me! You're just miserable because your parents hated you, they hated your guts!"

Draco seemed to deflate a little. "I don't give a damn about my father, Potter, but my mother—," Harry cut him off.

"Your mother barely talks to you. You know she's getting the paperwork ready to disown you, right? We saw it while we were in her room. You have no family, Malfoy. You were just too evil for your mother."

Draco's face was ashen. "No. You're lying." His protest was weak.

Harry couldn't help but lace his next words with venom. "It looks like you're not as wanted as you'd like to think. Who could love you, anyway?"

Harry stepped back. Draco had picked up his bow and strung it so quickly he'd almost missed the motion. Draco was shaking.

"I hate you, Potter. I hate you."

Harry tried to point his word level, but his arms were suddenly too weak. He looked directly at Malfoy, and murmured:

"You just can't stand the truth."

Draco snapped.

"The truth? You want to know the truth, Potter? How about this! YES, your parents loved you! They died for you, and gave you a chance to live out life rather then let you die and they live on. MY PARENTS HATE ME! My father beat me, and used the Unforgivable Curses against me. He enjoyed seeing me in pain. My mother used to sit and watch it, and afterwards, she'd tell me to not cry, to take it like a true Malfoy."

Harry couldn't bring himself to say a word to Draco, who was now dangerously close to him. He had moved sometime during his tirade.

"When I heard about YOU, Potter, I was insanely jealous! Yes, me, JEALOUS! And now, look at that! Draco Malfoy, the one who thought he was going to have it all, the one who refused, yes, REFUSED an invitation to become a Death Eater, is now a Malfoy no longer. And Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, is a hero once more."

Draco dropped his bow and arrow, and he pushed his face up to Harry's. "And boy, Potter, do I hate you for it."

Harry's breath was coming in gasping little coughs. He tried once more to plead his case; he was upset at what he was feeling. He felt sorry for the bastard, evil as Malfoy was. Or seemed to be.

"It wasn't Ron's fault, Malfoy, nor was it mine."

Draco drew back, and a half laugh escaped him. "Oh, yeah, so it was mine, right? I threw the bird at her stomach? Don't be so naïve, Potter."

Harry felt a bit of anger rising in him at those words, thus his next ones. "Maybe it was."

Draco launched himself onto Harry, and launched a barrage of punches at his face. Harry pushed him back, fighting equally as hard.

Ron stared at them, holding onto Hermione, whose mouth had curved into a dreamy little 'o'. Blaise was cradling Soleil's head in his lap, alternately trying to stop the blood flowing and glaring at those battling.

Harry launched an impressive kick at Draco's stomach, catching him off guard. The blonde staggered back a little, but then snarled and punched Harry in the nose. Blood began to flow. Harry wiped it from his face and sneered. Draco caught the obvious mockery hidden in the expression, and jumped on him again.

"You don't understand!" He gasped, in between hits. "She was someone special! She understood! She was as close to a friend as I could ever get."

Harry's attacks had become more lethargic, as had Draco's. The two pulled apart, breathing heavily. Harry watched in awe as Draco Malfoy looked up at him with his face reflecting deep hurt and anguish.

"She could have loved me."

And Draco Malfoy proceeded to do something he hadn't done since he was a baby.

He cried.


	11. T'sup My Homies

Disclaimer: It's not mine. The only thing I own is now a chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream cone, still waiting for me at the ice cream parlor.

Harry descended the stairs slowly, his mind still groggy from sleep. It was only five in the morning, and yet he already knew whom he would find.

Ronald Weasley was curled up in a chair, looking at the fireplace still crackling in front of him. He looked up, startled, as Harry sat in the chair next to him.

"Oh—hey mate. Did I wake you?"

Harry smiled. "No, no. I just—couldn't sleep is all." It was a lie. Ron nodded absentmindedly.

"So. What are you doing down here?" Harry knew the answer already. He had been hearing the same thing for four months, the same response, and yet he never stopped harboring a hope that it would change.

"Just—missing her, you know?" Ron made a face at the fire, still flickering. "Just thinking about her."

Harry nodded, brushing back his hair. "Well. I'm going for a walk. Care to join me?"

"What? No, go on, I'll just stay here." Ron fingered a thread on the chair, and his freckles seemed to pale. Harry nodded. He knew Ron would fall asleep soon, and wake the next morning, forgetting his dreams.

Harry himself slept fitfully. There were always the dreams, and that coupled with the fact that he had probably been the only one to recover. He had seen death before, firsthand, and witnessed it over and over again.

As he pushed open the portrait and wandered down the hallways, he mused silently to himself. It was a marvel that not one of them knew that they had all become insomniacs. Everyone had trouble sleeping.

After he had found Ron leaning dangerously close to the fire, he had learned to watch them. Make sure they were ok, you know?

He entered the library, padding softly across the carpeted room until he found what he was looking for.

A head of bushy brown hair leaned over a book, scribbling furiously on a parchment next to it. Muttered words were acknowledged, and Harry circled the desk cautiously.

"Hermione?"

She jumped, then relaxed. "Oh, Harry. It's only you."

"What are you doing?"

She eyed him oddly. "Don't I answer this every night, Harry?" He shrugged, blinking innocently.

"I forget." He kept her talking to keep her sane.

She sighed. "I just wanted to see if I could find some information on that evil witch. Maybe we could do something about it. Maybe we could—," here she stopped, and her eyes glistened. "Maybe we could bring her back, you know?"

Harry nodded. "Good night, Hermione."

She didn't reply as he walked out. He only heard a slight pause, before the scratching of her quill started up again.

Harry found himself rushing to find the next ones, the only ones that mourned together. He knew where they would be, and yet it still startled him as to how they would always find each other, regardless of the fact that they didn't speak during the day.

The lake was eerily calm as he approached it, and as he walked to the weeping willow on its bank, his eyes sought out the figures underneath it. They looked up, and then nodded. He managed a strained smile.

"Hey there, Blaise, Soleil."

Blaise was holding the younger girl in his arms, as she curled up in his lap. Harry tried not to look at the scar that ran from her thigh to her ankle that was showing underneath her robes.

"How's Malfoy?"

Blaise's eyes darkened.

* * *

After the battle, Draco had collapsed. He'd been carried using a spell until they got outside of the house, but he had ridden his broomstick himself. 

The six had ridden back to Hogwarts, where Dumbledore had been waiting for them at the door. His manner betrayed nothing; his eyes, pain.

Soleil and Hermione had spent two months in the Hospital Wing, suffering from head trauma and severe blood loss.

Draco hadn't spoken a word since. He didn't go to his classes, and ate alone, in the Head Boy's room, if he ate at all.

* * *

"I don't know." Blaise raised his eyes to Harry's. "Check on him?" He said abruptly. Harry didn't flinch. Instead, he nodded. 

He wasn't sure exactly how he had gotten to the portrait. It was of a man, with icy blue eyes and jet-black hair, slicked back and glistening. Harry licked his lips, and whispered the words Blaise had told him. It was oddly ironic, he supposed. But then again…

"Loss."

Life was hardly rational.

The portrait swung open, but not before the man in the portrait gave Harry a pitying gaze, as if to say Draco was unreachable.

Inside, Harry realized, it looked like a neat freaks dream. There was a four-poster bed with green hangings, and a large, ornate desk in the corner. By the desk was a bookshelf, stacked with heavy and worn looking tomes. There was a mahogany door on the left side of the room. Harry supposed it to be the bathroom.

He spied Draco only after looking very hard. The boy (no, Harry supposed he'd better call him a man) was sitting in the window seat on the left of the room. He was curled up and covered by a silk, green sheet, with his elbow on his knee and his hand propping up his chin.

"Hey."

Draco barely turned to acknowledge him. He nodded slightly, and then resumed staring out the window.

"Can I sit?"

Without waiting for an answer (He didn't expect one) Harry dragged the chair over from the desk and plopped down into it, just next to Draco.

"…So, what's up? I don't suppose you'd know, though, seeing as you've been locked up for so long. We've been wondering how you get your food delivered, you know. Hermione suspects it's house-elves doing, maybe Winky, she's always looking for a bit of work to do. Thank the Gods she stopped drinking."

Draco didn't blink, and Harry was started to feel really stupid. He was just babbling now, but he'd promised Blaise to stay for at least an hour. He glanced at the watch on his hand. It read 5:30 AM. Another 60 minutes to go.

Harry scrutinized the boy (man!) before him. Draco was wearing a crisp white shirt over gray slacks, with his robes folded neatly next to him. His wand had been carelessly stuck into his pocket. Over the months, he had not trimmed his hair, and it had grown at a somewhat alarming rate. Now he had to tie it back with a band, but it was not so long that he resembled his father. Rather, it ended up curling slightly at his shoulders.

Harry caught a glint and looked down. On Draco's finger was a small ring, with a smooth cut crystal inside. It was swirling with a dark blue and black color, and in the background he could make out a tinge of red.

"Hey!" He said suddenly, and Draco cocked his head towards him. "That's one of the rings Soleil and Ginny were selling!" Harry hardly noticed the way Draco stiffened at the name. He was too busy examining the ring.

"Hey. D'you think you could play it? Just to see?" Harry's voice was earnest, and Draco looked at him icily. Harry wilted slightly.

"Just a suggestion…" He blushed.

"Play." Draco's voice shocked him to no ends. It sounded hoarse and soft as it would if he had not spoken for so long. Harry almost didn't catch the beginning of the song.

_

* * *

It starts with_

_One thing, I don't know why_

_It doesn't even matter how hard you try_

_Keep that in mind I designed this rhyme_

_To explain in due time_

_All I know, time is a valuable thing_

_Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings_

_Watch it count down to the end of the day_

_The clock ticks life away_

_It's so unreal, didn't look out below_

_Watch the time go right out the window_

_Trying to hold on but didn't even know_

_Wasted it all just to watch you go_

_I kept everything inside and even though I tried it all fell apart_

_What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when _

_I tried so hard_

_And got so far_

_But in the end_

_It doesn't even matter_

_I had to fall_

_To lose it all_

_But in the end_

_It doesn't even matter_

* * *

"Stop." Draco murmured. Harry glanced up at him, shocked. 

"I suppose that's regret?" The blonde flicked some hair from his eyes, and Harry leaned back in his chair.

"There are others. I saw more than one emotion present on your ring, Draco." He shot a look at Draco, who ignored it and fingered the ring. Then;

"Play."

_

* * *

All around me are familiar faces_

_Worn out places_

_Worn out faces_

_Bright and early for their daily races_

_Going nowhere_

_Going nowhere_

_Their tears are filling up their glasses_

_No expression_

_No expression_

_Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow_

_No tomorrow_

_No tomorrow_

_And I find it kind of funny_

_I find it kind of sad_

_The dreams in which I'm dying_

_Are the best I've ever had_

_I find it hard to tell you_

_'Cause I find it hard to take_

_When people run in circles_

_It's a very very_

_Mad world_

_Mad world_

_Children waiting for the day they feel good_

_Happy birthday_

_Happy birthday_

_Made to feel the way that every child should_

_Sit and listen_

_Sit and listen_

_Went to school and I was very nervous_

_No one knew me_

_No one knew me_

_Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson_

_Look right through me_

_Look right through me_

* * *

Harry's brow furrowed. "I dunno what that is," he mused out loud. He hadn't expected Draco to answer, so he jumped slightly when his voice reached his ears. 

"That's depression right there, Potter. How I feel."

Harry studied him closely. "All right then. Anything else?"

Draco gave him what could have been considered a murderous look. "No. There's nothing else!"

Harry leaned over quickly and found Draco was more right then he knew. There were no swirling colors, no spurting of circuits. The songs had simply run out.

"You've listened to this a lot, then?" Harry said. Draco nodded incomprehensibly. There was a sudden popping noise, and both boys leapt back as the ring began to flash wildly.

In a moment, a large blue orb had appeared just above the ring, and a sound began to assault them. Draco stared in wonder at the orb.

It was resonating Ginny's laugh.

And soon her face appeared. She stepped back, and smiled brightly at them. "There! I suppose I may have given you a heart attack, Malfoy, but all the better. I only wish I had been there to see you fall on you arse." She cleared her throat. "Now, as you know, I'm spending the night working on this ring. Soleil says you're not worth it."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm ignoring her, though. Seeing as you'll probably ditch this ring (that's what she said) I'm going to say a few things here, so listen closely."

Draco and Harry leaned in closely and she beamed.

"Now, Malfoy, I know everyone thinks you're a bratty prat, and a snarky toad. I agree." Harry couldn't help but laugh, and Draco scowled.

"However, I believe there is some good in you yet. D'you remember in my first year, when I was being controlled by Riddle, you pulled me aside in the hallway and asked if I was alright?"

Harry looked sideways. This information was clearly new. Draco, meanwhile, was getting a few faint remnants of a memory long discarded.

* * *

"_Weasley!"_

_She'd turned, and he noticed how she looked even paler. Sneering, he had stopped just short of her._

"_Not that I care or anything, but why in bloody hell have you been acting so weird, eh? You've eaten nothing, and you space out all the time. Has Potter ejected you?"_

_She was too happy that he had noticed her to care about the last comment. Someone had realized she existed. _

"_I'm fine." She said, and hugged him quickly, releasing him before he could push her away. "Thanks for asking." He had watched her walk away, bouncing a little, and scowled._

"_Damn Weaselette. Ruined my robes."_

* * *

"Anyways, it was something that made me think of you in a whole new light. I hadn't been afraid of you before, but now I felt like laughing when you teased me. I found out something that no one else ever did!" She punched the air triumphantly. 

"Draco Malfoy has a heart! So, before you blast me into oblivion for daring to remind you of the memory or speaking to you, Draco, I would just like to say, thank you." She winked at him and blew a kiss, laughing. "You're not all that bad, Malfoy!"

And the orb burst, making millions of little bubbles in the air. Draco stared at them for a moment, lost in thought. Harry glanced at his watch.

7:00 AM. Everyone would be headed back to his or her rooms now. Blaise would walk Soleil to the Gryffindor common rooms, so…

"Draco." He said. The boy (man! Man! Man!) turned sharply at this use of his first name.

"What?" He asked irritably.

Harry's eyes shone through his glasses. "Do you remember what you said in second year? Before Ginny was slipped the book?"

"Yes Potter, I keep a diary of everything I say." Draco snapped. "Of course I don't! It was second year!"

"Well I do!" Harry cried. "You were bragging to Crabbe and Goyle about your vacation villa just next to Glasgow, and how your father used to take you there!"

"So?" Draco muttered.

"And then you said that your father was never around when you went there, because he was too busy working on something in another, secret villa. You told them about how you followed him there once, and found him exiting with the book, Riddle's diary!"

Draco remembered. It had been before the attacks had started, and he supposed Harry had never really put the conversation together with the Chamber of Secrets incident until just now.

"But what—oh." Draco stood suddenly, his mouth wide open. "Oh! I know where Desdemona is!"

"We're going to kill Desdemona!" Harry sang. He was surprised at first when Draco joined in, but then the two of them were dancing in a circle, tears of joy falling down their faces. Draco stopped abruptly.

"D'you remember, what that beats said when we were in the dungeons?" Harry shook his head, no.

"He said they were giving Ginny," He paused here. It was the first time he'd said her name in months. But then he shook his head and continued. "He said they were giving Ginny to their Mistress! That's Desdemona!"

"So Ginny's with Desdemona?" Harry's face brightened as Draco nodded slowly.

"Suit up!" crowed Harry. "Suit up! Suit up!"

"Shut up." Draco said, but a smile crossed his face all the same. " You remember how to deactivate your suit, right? Well, let me reverse the process…"

Dumbledore had given them the words, and although it had not registered at the time, he had also given them the reversal spell.

"_Illanos Sordiate_!" Draco and Harry cried at the same time. In a moment, a gold smoke surrounded them. When it cleared, they were dressed in their suits, with their weapons attached.

"Wanna have some fun?" Harry pointed to his earpiece.

Draco caught on quickly. The news of Ginny's well-being was affecting him rather well. "Let's go."

* * *

Hermione had met up with Blaise and Soleil on their way back, and had joined them. A tense silence surrounded them, and Hermione shifted her books to her other arm. 

Draco watched from behind a suit of armor at the foot of the stairs, just as they began climbing up.

"Hey, Beta, they're heading your way."

Harry's voice crackled into his ear. "I'm Alpha! You're Beta!"

Draco snorted. "You're always leader. Shut up and get in position." Harry muttered a few choice four-letter words, but he soon came back.

"Ready."

Draco stepped out from the armor. It was dark in the hallway, and he could only just make out the three forms moving forward. He strung his bow, and aimed.

"I ought to hit you, Potter." He mumbled. A low chuckle reached his ears.

"Yeah, and then Ron'll kill you for killing me, and Blaise will kill Ron for killing you, and Hermione will kill Blaise for killing Ron, and Soleil will kill Hermione for killing Blaise. So y'see, you can't kill me, I'm essential."

Draco shot the arrow. "Ah, you lucky bastard."

* * *

Soleil let out a little shriek as something caught in her robes. Blaise and Hermione jumped, until the brown-haired witch muttered "Lumos" under her breath. 

An arrow was protruding from Soleil's robes, and a piece of parchment was attached to it.

Hermione looked at it slowly, with Soleil reading over her shoulder. "What does it say?" Blaise asked.

"_Illanos Sordiate_," They both replied. And in an instant, they were both plunged inside the golden smoke. The two girls ended up coughing wildly before the smoke cleared, and when it did, they gazed at their suits in horror.

* * *

"Phase 1, complete." Draco mumbled. 

"Thank the Gods they were too conked out to hear the words." Harry replied. "Now, let's make an entrance."

Draco climbed up the stairs, muttering, "I really hate you. I shoot the arrow, you get the grand entrance. You are too used to special treatment, Potter."

"Living the high life has always been my specialty. Signing off!" Draco scowled darkly as their transmission was ended.

Soleil and Hermione had to stifle screams as Draco came up behind them, bow and arrow clutched in hand, suit on. The three of them (Don't say you forgot about Blaise!) stared at him in horror, and Draco decided to have a little fun.

"T'sup, my homies!" he said, using something he'd heard Muggles said. "Dude, y'all looked stoked. Having a party?"

The fact that he was speaking, and using Muggle words, and the stupidest possible ones too, managed to make everyone keel over in pure shock.

Harry swung over the banister and glared at him.

"You slimy git! I didn't get to slide down the tapestry!" Draco shrugged and sauntered away.

"You can carry them, then, back to my room. Do your part in the plan."


	12. Ginny Finds The Twins

Disclaimer: If it were mine, I'd actually _own_ stuff.

Draco leaned his head against his window.

His thoughts were swirling now, colliding over and over again, but always coming back to one conclusion.

_Ginny's alive. We're going to find her._

When they had awoken, Blaise, Soleil and Hermione had been quiet as Draco and Harry explained about the events that had led them to this conclusion.

"So you want us to try again?" Soleil was picking at her nails, and had not looked up once during the whole conversation.

Draco had squirmed uncomfortably as Harry had answered the question, apparently oblivious to the scathing undertone in the girl's voice.

"Well, now that we know where Desdemona is, we know that Ginny's there. And if not to save the wizarding world, then let's at least go for Ginny."

"And if she's not there?" Soleil had replied evenly. "It's been four months, Harry. What if Desdemona's killed her already, if she was even alive? Did you think of that?"

Harry stopped. Flustered, and a pink tinge began to seep into his cheeks.

"You'd have done well in Slytherin, Garneau." Draco's eyes were neutral, a dull gray, and he was staring directly at the three lying on the ground in front of him. Soleil scowled, and he ignored it.

"You're right. Maybe Ginny is dead, and we're going on a suicide mission." Harry gaped at him as if he were crazy. The other three had similar expressions on their faces.

"But maybe she isn't. We have no spies, no way of knowing. But if you all want to stay here, I have no problem with that. I'll just go myself. And if I die, then all the better. At least I'll have died doing something."

Draco stood, and grabbed his weapons from his bed. "Coming, Potter?"

Harry had his head in his hands, but he looked up. "Yeah, yeah. But when you make it sound that way…I wonder if you're sane, Malfoy."

Draco didn't bother replying. He swept out of the room, Harry following behind him. The two were silent, as they made their way down to the Quidditch locker rooms, where they picked up the Firebolts Dumbledore had allowed them to keep.

They stood on the Quidditch pitch, eyes framed against the rising sun.

"D'you think Dumbledore will be mad?" Draco said.

Harry shrugged. "I think he knew about what was going to happen. You know he didn't tell the Weasleys about Ginny, right?"

Draco swung his leg over the broom and hovered slightly. "Old fool."

"At least he's not as old as you."

Draco turned to Blaise, who was suited up and carrying his broom. Behind him came Hermione and Soleil, as well as a groggy looking Ron.

"We had to get Ron, first, so sorry we're late."

"What's going on?" Ron mumbled. "Is it time for Potions? Tell Snape to go wash the grease out of his hair, when he's done I'll come down."

"If he talked in his sleep he'd be hexed for his life." Harry observed. "Nice to have you, guys! Climb on, we'll explain to Ron along the way. We're going to Glasgow, so this might take a while."

Hermione flicked her wand at Ron. His eyes glazed over and he walked stiffly to his broom, sat on it, then promptly slumped over. She laughed. "He'll stay on it, and I'll have the broom follow us."

"Nice one." Harry smiled. "Come on, now, let's go! We're off to see the Wizard—," Hermione interrupted.

"Dark Goddess."

"We're off to see the Dark Goddess! The horrible Dark Goddess of…Glasgow!"

"You know, I think he may be high." Soleil whispered. Hermione laughed, but Draco shook his head.

"No. I was playing around with my wand while we were waiting around before we went to meet you, and I may have performed a Cheering Charm. Delayed reaction. Cool, huh?"

"Let's go! Let's go! LET'S GO!" Harry seized his Firebolt and jumped on, giggling madly. Blaise smirked.

"We need something to record this."

"Shut up and get on the broom." Draco rolled his eyes. "We'll embarrass Potter about it later. Now we have to go to Glasgow."

"And then we get Potter?"

"And then we get Potter."

"Excellent." Blaise gave an evil laugh, throwing his head back and shutting his eyes. When he looked back, it took him a moment to realize that the specks in the sky were actually his teammates.

Dumbledore closed his eyes and turned around, humming merrily. Professor McGonagall gave him a weird look as he passed by her.

"Have you seen, something, Albus?"

Dumbledore opened his eyes and pretended to look surprised. "Who, me? Minerva, I've had my eyes closed this whole time! Oh, and could you please tell any teachers inquiring about missing students that they have gone home? Thank you, Minerva."

McGonagall watched as he walked away, then shook her head. "I really wonder if he's sane sometimes."

* * *

**Five Months Earlier: Glasgow, Scotland**

"Fly on your broo-hoo-hoo-ooh-oohm! Carry me away! Make some roo-hoo-hoo-ooh-oohm for me, in your heart!"

"You mad, mad woman."

"I want to fly away with you! I want to soar into the clouds! I want to make this time the best! I want to scream those words out loud!"

"Honestly, I think I lost my hearing…"

Ginny rolled over, and clutched at her stomach. "Shut up…"

"Ooh, she's mean."

"Maybe Dezzie would like her, as a toy, you know?"

"Sebby, eat horse crap. You know what Dezzie would do!"

"You know what she would do if she knew we called her Dezzie, and you still don't seem bothered by that."

Ginny rubbed blearily at her eyes, and sat up. She winced at the head rush, and held her head in her hands until the world stopped moving. When she could see straight, she realized that she was in a rather well furnished room.

It looked like a parlor, with all sorts of antique furniture and odd things about. Ginny looked down and realized she was sitting on a soft, plush, white leather couch, which seemed out of place with the rest of everything.

Upon further inspection, Ginny also realized that her clothes were gone.

(Ew, you perverts! Not like that!)

In the place of her suit was a long, form-fitting black dress. She stared down a bit longer, and something caught her eye.

Funny…that color didn't seem to go with the dress…in fact, it looked like there was a big hole…the dress wasn't a dress at all!

It was a long, flowing skirt, and what seemed to be a brassiere. And hadn't she heard a male voice earlier…?

"Bloody hell!" Ginny jumped up and off the couch. The sound of laughter assaulted her ears, and she glance up.

On another white couch across from her were two people, a boy and a girl. Both had long black hair, although the girls' waist length hair was streaked with purple and the boys' with green. Both had vivid, light blue eyes, and both were wearing black turtlenecks. The boy had black slacks on while the girl had a short white skirt that flowed slightly and ended just above the knees.

The girl waved. "Hey, nice to see that you're up!" She removed something from her ears, which was white in color. Ginny could hear the remnants of what sounded like a song coming from it.

"Where am I?" She asked.

The boy spread out his arms. "Welcome to Desdemona's lair, located in Glasgow, Scotland. It's quite a nice place, actually."

Ginny wrinkled her nose. "Do you know who Desdemona is? She's an evil Dark Goddess—," But the boy interrupted her.

"Who wants to rid the world of Muggles and all associated with them. Yeah, we know, but this place still isn't that bad. And when Dezzie isn't bored, she isn't that bad either."

Ginny sensed the mocking tone behind his words, and decided to change tactics. "Well then…I'm Ginevra Weasley, but you can call me Ginny."

The girl stood and curtsied. "I'm Katherine and this is my twin, Sebastian. You can call me Kat or Katty, and you can call him Toad."

Sebastian pulled her down and she was briefly knocked off balance. "You evil little…"

Sebastian laughed. "Hey there, Ginny. I don't suppose you'd know us, but we know your father. He worked with our dad a while back, George Eidelhart?"

"The man who liked to charm the items in Muggle houses?" Ginny clapped a hand over her mouth, but Katherine laughed.

"Yeah, that's Dad. Whenever they went to fix one problem, he caused another. He changed jobs, owns a joke shop, actually."

"My brothers would love you." Ginny smiled. "Fred and George Weasley, they just opened their own shop, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes?"

Sebastian shrugged. "Can't say I've heard of it. In fact, we wouldn't know of any developments for the past two years or so."

Ginny was rooted to the ground in shock. "What?"

Katherine picked at her nails. "Yeah. Our dad was getting really close to helping the Ministry renew the law making the Dark Arts illegal. He was one of their main supporters actually. Lucius Malfoy had us kidnapped and kept us here, hoping that our dad would stop flowing money in and the Dark Arts would be made legal."

Sebastian smirked. "Dad was too good for him, though. He managed to have it so that it was our Aunt Mercy sending in the flow of money, and he tried to find us. But Lucius managed to get him on this one."

"He's dead." Ginny said. The two almost flew off their seats.

"What?" Katherine looked eagerly into Ginny's face. "Malfoy's dead? That's great!"

Sebastian flopped down next to Ginny. "I think you'd better inform us on what's happened while we've been gone."

Right, just wanted to say, from now on until I say differently, we are in Ginny's time, five months before Draco and the other's come to rescue her.


	13. The Wrath of Dezzie

Ok, so just to remind all of you, this is in Ginny's view, before the others went to search for her. At least, the first half is. Thanks to Riality, who's been an awesome reviewer thus far, and makes my day bunches brighter!

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII love-a love-a love you!"

"Gods above, woman, do you WANT my eardrums to burst?" Sebastian clutched at his head and keeled over. Katherine swatted at him, but kept up her singing. The white things in her ears, Ginny later learned, were headphones, used for a Muggle contraption called in I-Pod.

"Nothing magical works here, unless it's Desdemona doing it." Katherine had explained. "Dezzie is quite paranoid, you know. Seems to think that some wizard or witch will sneak in and try to kill her…"

Ginny had snorted, and Sebastian had continued. "She spends most of her time sulking downstairs, where we can't go. She wants to go outside and rend, rend, rend! But that binding curse Malfoy put on her seems to be working. Anyways, we have to go into the village to get supplies for ourselves, and seeing as it's a Muggle one, we get Muggle things, too."

"We have to entertain ourselves!" Katherine crowed.

"Why not try to escape?" Ginny asked. Sebastian frowned.

"You know how you told us you were wounded?" She nodded. "Well, Kat and I were too. Both of us, bitten by a basilisk. Hurt like hell…but Desdemona has it so that if we ever wander more than ten feet past the boundaries of this town or try to tell anyone of where we are, the poison starts to work again."

Ginny had shuddered. "So it works the same way with my wound…creepy."

Ginny had since learned that Katherine loved music greatly, and had an assortment of what she called CD's and several I-Pods, CD players, and walkmans.

"She's a freak, I tell you, and an awful singer." Sebastian grinned up at them from the floor, but Ginny knew she was singing. Kat had a beautiful voice, one that made shivers run down her spine.

"I want to run through the halls of my high school, I want to scream at the top of my lungs!"

The only problem was that she was always singing, and she never listened to a whole song for long. She was always skipping around.

"Can we go into the village today?" Ginny said. The twins cast each other a glance before breaking out in grins.

"Of course!" Kat cried. "Let's just change, first."

Ginny had since been informed that the dress she was wearing had been Desdemona's, as her suit had melted away as soon as the Dark magic in the atmosphere touched it. She and Kat now shared a wardrobe.

The two rushed upstairs and pulled on long, knee length coats and knee high boots.

"For what's supposed to be the worst place in the world, this is sure a nice place to say." Ginny had commented.

Kat's eyes darkened. "No, it isn't. Desdemona isn't a nearby hostess. She tends to get herself into mad stupors, and she leaves us alone during most of this time. She does awful things down there. Awful, awful things. But when she comes up from wherever she is, it's even worse. Desdemona has so qualms about beating you up, healing you, then doing it over again."

"She's that bad?"

"And worse." Katherine smiled. "But let's forget about her for a moment. We should go!"

They hurried downstairs where Sebastian was waiting, and stepped outside. It was very foggy, and she had to rely on the two ahead of her to find her way. When she next lifted her head, it was to see the roofs of a few thatched cottages, and a few tall buildings.

"What's that?" Ginny pointed to a low building squeezed in between two taller ones. It had no sign, and she could see an old man watching her curiously from the window.

"Tavern." Katherine said, steering her away from it. "Man inside is crazy. He claims that we're witches and there's great evil in the house we live in." She winked. "He's totally insane, of course."

They entered a small, two-story structure, and Ginny immediately felt at home. A round woman with wisps of gray hair and wearing a red housedress was muttering to herself as she swept the floor, pausing every now and then to wipe some hair from her face.

"Halloo, Mrs. McDougle!" Sebastian said. The lady's eyes brightened as she straightened and looked up at them.

"Aye, greetings to ye, lad and…lassies? Look at that, ye've got a new frind for auld Mrs. McDougle to content 'erself with? 'Ow kind of ye!"

She spoke with a heavy Scottish accent, and Ginny smiled shyly at her. "Hello. My name is—," But Sebastian cut her off.

"This is Mary. She's our cousin, come to stay with us."

"Aye, she's a fair one too." Mrs. McDougle boomed. "Well now, what is it ye be wantin'? I s'pose more sweets, eh? Or some music for thy pretty brain to die from, lass?" She winked at them, and the trio grinned broadly.

Ginny noticed for the first time her surroundings. There were counters filled with food on one side of the store, and on the other there was an assortment of records and CD's and other electronics.

"It's heaven!" Ginny practically drooled.

"Kill the drama." Katherine rolled her eyes.

"Kill the dramatic." Sebastian raised his eyebrows at her and she stuck out her tongue.

"How old are you too?" Ginny asked, trying not to laugh.

"We'll be seventeen in the winter." They replied together. Ginny shivered.

"Damn twin thing. Hey, I'm sixteen too!" she hopped about excitedly. "This is so cool!"

"She isn't doing very well for a person who's just been kidnapped and is supposed to be missing their family…" Sebastian whispered in his sister's ear. She slapped him upside the head.

"Shut up, Toad." Then she grabbed Ginny's hand and dragged her to the glass display case. "D'you see that, Gin? I _need _that CD!"

Sebastian sighed and wandered over to a PlayStation, once more wishing that the bloody house had electricity.

* * *

As they walked back to the house, arms loaded with food and a few extras, Ginny glanced up at Sebastian. 

"Why did you tell Mrs. McDougle that my name was Mary?" Sebastian didn't look at her, keeping his eyes trained ahead.

"She knows our names, but we changed our last name to Hart. If anyone were to come by and hear her talking about us, it would count as trying to escape. Desdemona made that clear the first time we went to the village." He shivered slightly.

"But your name is unique. I'm sure someone will remember that. So as long as you're here, your name will be Mary Hart." Katherine finished.

Ginny nodded. She suspected it was going to be a long, long stay at the Malfoy Vacation Villa.

* * *

The first time Ginny met Desdemona, it was about two months after her arrival. She'd been sitting on the couch, pestering Sebastian for the love of it, as Katherine giggled silently from across the room. 

"I would like a hug, Sebby."

"Sod off." The boy grumbled, trying to read a magazine.

"I would like a hug, _please_, Sebby!"

He turned away from her and she pouted. "If you won't give me a hug, I'll be forced to take desperate measures, Seb!"

"Blah, blah, blah, all you women do is nag, nag, nag…"

In a moment Ginny had launched herself at him, tackling him to the floor. Katherine collapsed in laughter as she saw her brother's surprised face staring up at her.

"**What is the meaning of this noise!"**

Ginny cringed as the hard, metallic voice reached her ears. She rolled of Sebastian, who had stiffened, and glared upwards. The look died immediately as she saw Desdemona for the first time.

The woman in front of her was wearing the same dress Ginny when she had arrived. Her hair was flowing loosely down her back and to her ankles, a deep black in color. Her eyes were, remarkably, purple, and her skin was pale, even paler then Ginny's.

"We were just playing…" Ginny's protests died on her lips as Desdemona leaned down and picked her up, almost as easily as if she were a puppet of some sort. Desdemona easily outstripped her by a foot or two, and Ginny gulped.

"**You will not speak to me! You are inferior, do you understand?"** Ginny nodded, and at the same time strained to catch her breath.

"**Good. Now I want to play a game, and I've just managed to conjure up a chimera. Do you want to play, little one?"** Ginny found that she couldn't say no; something was holding her neck back, and she felt herself slipping away from consciousness. Desdemona's grip was tight…

"Stop!" Sebastian placed a hand up, and Desdemona shot him a look laced with venom. "It will kill her!"

"**I'll bring her back!"** Desdemona hissed, but then Katherine stood as well.

"She's insensible, can't you see that? Leave her alone!"

Desdemona took a moment to consider this, before scoffing. **"She is not worth my time. I will come for her later, maybe, but she will stay here for now." **Her eyes narrowed.** "But you have gone against me. For that, you shall pay!"**

She threw Ginny into Sebastian, who caught her but flew back into Katherine. The three crashed into an armoire behind them, and the wood broke as well as the glass inside.

Desdemona let out an eerie laugh, before there was a sound like thunder and she disappeared.

The dusty air cleared after a moment, and yet not one of the three moved. It was probably hours after Desdemona left that Katherine stirred. She sat up and let out a low groan as she rubbed at her back.

Her lip was bleeding, but she wiped it away and turned to her brother. "Oi…Seb…wake up, we have to heal ourselves and—oh, Seb!"

Her brother woke up then, rubbing at his head. His hand came away with a bit of dried blood, but he ignored it and lifted Ginny from his chest. Immediately she squirmed and her hand shot out, just missing him. Her eyes opened.

"Oh, Gods, Sebastian, I'm so sorry! I was just—it was—oh, that evil woman!" A tear dripped down from her eye as she regarded her scratched body, and more fell as she saw Kat and Sebby.

The twins hugged her. "It's ok," said Katherine.

"Dezzie has anger management problems, you know?"

"She needs man…"

Ginny laughed at that, and wiped her eyes. "Thanks so much for sticking up for me, you guys."

They stood up, Katherine taking Ginny by the hand and leading her to the bathroom. "You see why this place isn't all that great? She used to visit more, you know, but all she does now is whine and sulk in the dungeons downstairs…"

"How can you stand it?" Ginny winced as Kat spread some slave on her scars. Kat shrugged.

"It's not like you get used to the pain—it's more like getting used to the idea."

"What idea?"

"That she'll always be there, and she'll always be awful." Sebastian had appeared in the doorway, and now he sat on the edge of the bathtub, his head in his hands. "Let's hope your friends get here soon, Ginny. We need to get out of here."

There was a silence, punctuated only by a sight groan as they rid themselves of their scars and bruises.

Tell me if you want me to go back to Draco and the others, or if you would rather hear more about Ginny. Review, please!


	14. Hitler Was A Wizard!

Riality, thanks for spotting those mistakes. I was in a sort of in a hurry when I wrote that… Ok, so fine, I didn't feel like spell checking and/or reading the whole thing over to check. I'm such a lazy arse… But in this one, I swear I tried harder. Hey, you know what? I've had about 717 hits, last time I checked, and only about 46 reviews. So if you're passing by, a review would be very much appreciated. Thanks to all who have though, and seeing as my computer was a bit screwed up before this chapter, review on this one and I'll give you author responses next chapter.

Disclaimer: I own what I own.

Draco glanced down at those underneath him. He'd taken to flying above them, to check his position. They had left the school nearly twelve hours ago.

"Are we close?" Ron called up to him.

Draco's eyes scanned the terrain in front of him, and he squinted. Very faintly, he could see several lights and what should be buildings. They were coming up fast, and Draco dropped down to end up next to Harry.

"We should be there in another ten or twenty minutes."

Harry glared at him. "Oh, joy."

Draco rolled his eyes. Harry had been a bit sore (pissed as hell) when the Cheering Charm had worn off. Of course, considering the fact that as he was on his broomstick he'd managed to hit on Hermione and Soleil at the same time with Blaise and Ron trying desperately to kill him, it would have been a wonder if he'd been able to smile after all that.

They flew on in silence for a moment, until the rest of the buildings became visible.

"Should we go to the villa first?" Draco feigned boredom. Inside, he was dying to know if Ginny was all right.

Hermione cast him a skeptical glance. "Right, and die because we had no idea about the lethifold in the basement or the dragon in the courtyard?"

"Lethifolds?" Ron almost fell of his broom, and Hermione shook her head.

"I was being sarcastic, Ron. What I mean to say is, we should at least scout the place out first. This is a Muggle village, in case you haven't noticed, and if we just fly in wands at the ready, do you know how much trouble we could be in?"

"So what do you suggest we do, Granger?" Blaise was also getting impatient.

"We can swoop down and check, from a safe distance," she reasoned. "But we don't interfere, and then we go into the Muggle village and try to get some information."

"Then let's go!" Draco fell into a sharp dive, skimming the dusty road in front of him despite Hermione's protests. He knew there was no one more than a mile or so around the villa; all the Muggles thought it was haunted.

He could hear several whooshing noises behind him, and as they approached the large, dreary lodge, he knew the others had joined him.

"Almost there" he called back, then looked forward. There was a bend in the road…and he could hear something coming from it…

"ARGH!" Draco managed a strangled yell before he was slammed full force into the bushes alongside the road. He rolled a few feet until he hit a tree, then raised his broomstick and began to pummel his attacker.

"OW! Stop—dammit, Malfoy—stop!"

Draco blinked and stopped his assault long enough to realize it was Harry glaring fiercely at him.

"What the hell—," but his tirade was cut off as Harry covered his mouth. He dragged Draco to the fringe of the surrounding forest, and they could see the others hiding themselves on the other side of the road.

"And I've, done you so wrong, treated you bad, I've strung you along, oh shame on myself, I don't know how I got this tangled, aww!"

Harry's grip on Draco loosened, and as the Slytherin squirmed over slightly, he was mesmerized. The voice was beautiful…as was the singer.

A girl with waist-length black hair and purple streaks was grinning widely and had headphones in her ears. Harry found that his mouth had gone dry as she sang, skipping with every step.

Behind her came a boy that looked almost exactly like her, with short black hair and green streaks.

But everyone's heart stopped beating as the next person turned the bend. Draco lunged as if to run out into the open, but Harry managed to regain his senses long enough to grab him and pin him down. The girl's screaming cut off Draco's loud yell.

"Sebby! Sebby, give me back my clip! SEBASTIAN!"

The boy, who clearly had to be Sebastian, turned and stuck out his tongue before racing up next to the girl who obviously had to be his twin, and slid something into her hand. She gripped it tightly but kept on singing, exchanging only a wink with her brother.

Ginny tackled Sebastian, and he fell to the ground laughing. Ginny sat on top of him, nose turned in the air and panting slightly. It was then that the others noticed that although she was smiling triumphantly, it didn't reach her eyes. She was even paler, if possible, and she seemed skinnier than when they had last seen her.

"Give me the clip. Now." Sebastian shook his head.

"Don't have it." He grinned cheekily. Draco let out a breath. Now the boy was going to get it!

But he was shocked to see Ginny lean down and whisper something in the boy's ear. His eyes grew wide.

"You wouldn't."

Ginny smirked. "I would."

"Wouldn't."

"Would.

"Wouldn't! Wouldn't!"

"Would, would, would!"

"Would."

"Wouldn't." Ginny mentally slapped herself as Sebastian started laughing again. "So you wouldn't call up Dezzie?"

"Shut up." She said, scowling, but she stood up and helped him up anyways. Sebastian ruffled her hair good-naturedly, as the girl dropped back to hand her the clip.

"You owe me, now." Ginny smiled sweetly at Sebastian. "And I want a ride."

"What?" He turned to face his sister, who only smirked back at him.

"That _was _a pretty mean thing to do, Sebby. Besides, I didn't even know I had the clip! I thought it was your I-Pod."

Sebastian growled, but it was turned into a grunt as Ginny leapt onto his back. He stumbled forwards a few feet, but then regained his balance.

"Come now, be a good horse." Ginny ordered.

The girl followed behind them as they walked, and began singing again, this time a whole new song.

"Steal some covers, share some skin…" she crooned slyly. The two ahead of her shot her looks, but they were soon laughing hard as they disappeared around another bend.

Immediately, Draco shoved Harry off him, who cringed at the sight of the enraged boy.

"HOW COULD YOU!" He roared. "SHE WAS RIGHT THERE!"

"Draco, calm down." Blaise stepped into the bushes. "Harry had reason, and do you remember what Granger said?"

"I don't give a fuck!" Draco swung at Harry, who rolled away. "Four months she's been missing and when she's finally there you just let her get away! You just—let her get away!"

Draco lapsed into silence, holding his head in his hands. Harry stared for a moment, then frowned. "Maybe we should have done something."

"Harry, no!" Hermione protested. "Ginny's alive and well. Don't you think, unless something big was holding her back, she'd have at least informed us by now?"

"Yeah." Ron agreed. "But she sure seemed happy back there. D'you think she's forgotten about us?"

There was a pregnant pause, before Soleil spoke up. "No. She wouldn't. She might be a little angry at first that we've taken so long to come around, but she wouldn't forget us."

No one said anything, until Draco picked himself up slowly and grabbed his broomstick. He trudged out onto the road and started walking back towards the town, where Ginny and the others had been heading.

Blaise sighed before following, then ran to catch up. "I seriously think there's something wrong with you, man."

"There's nothing wrong with me." Draco intoned monotonously. "I'm just fine, perfect in fact."

Blaise snorted. "Yeah right. And crying for the first time since you were a baby, not speaking for four months, and practically chewing Potter's head off_ twice_ was just because you were bored." Blaise swung his arm about Draco, knowing he hated to be touched and risking it anyway. "My friend, I think you're in love."

"No." Draco's eyes flashed, and in the next moment, Blaise found himself on the ground and staring up at his best friend of seventeen years.

"I can't be in love." Draco growled, although he sounded slightly panicky at the same time. "I can't! Not with her anyways, she's a Weasley, and a Gryffindor, and she loves Potter—,"

"Not anymore." Blaise couldn't help adding. Draco snorted.

"Even if she doesn't, did you see the way she was hanging onto that guy?"

"She's pureblood." Blaise reasoned. "And she's looking at a promising career as an Auror. If she keeps this up, she'll graduate Hogwarts early and earn thousands of Galleons a day!"

Draco looked thoughtful for a moment, but then he wiped it away. "Malfoys don't fall in love. They marry for money, and power, not love."

"That's what your father said." Blaise replied easily. "And I thought you said you didn't want to be like him anymore? Or is Lucius finally getting what he wants?"

Blaise stared up at Draco, who now had wisps of his shoulder length hair crowding around his face, and was breathing heavily. His face was not as pale as it had been years before. Now it was a little tanner, and his usually cold gray eyes had become a startling silver-blue.

Draco had changed, in appearance and mannerisms. He was no longer following the path his father had wanted him to follow, and had, in fact, completely cut himself off from it all.

"I hate it when you're right." Draco murmured quietly.

Blaise felt torn between simply smiling in glee and interrogating further. He chose the former.

"We have an idea!" Soleil suddenly popped up in between them, smiling widely. There was a collective snicker, and Draco and Blaise realized just how compromising their position must look. They jumped apart, and Draco glared at Soleil.

"So? What's the plan?"

* * *

Ginny stumbled slightly as she jumped off Sebastian's back, but she quickly righted herself and bounced into the shop. 

"Mrs. McDougle!" she called. "Mrs. McDougle, I've finally learned how to work a CD player!"

The round, red-cheeked woman came out, smiling broadly. "Och, lassie, that be wonderful! Ye dinnae know how much ye scared me! Kin ye imagine? A lass o' your age, not knooing 'ow to use a player? Me own kin used to stare coos I dinnae know!"

Ginny stared at the far side of the shop, where Mrs. McDougle had just laid out a delicious array of pastries.

"What're they for?" she indicated the food.

"It's almost time for schools to close." Katherine walked next to her. "It'll have been…oh, about five months since you've come, Gin. So on…when is it, Seb?"

"June 30th, last day, Kat." Her brother replied absentmindedly.

"Yes, that's it." Katherine mumbled, staring at the pastries. "That's the day every single school has been let out, and most kids go home. It'll be an awesome day. A lot of them are here now, so Mrs. McDougle has these set up for them. Her own kids are coming on the 30th."

Ginny smiled, although something was tugging at the back of her mind. "Yeah, that's awesome."

Kat straightened up. "Mrs. McDougle, can I see the new CD's?"

"Certainly!" The woman boomed, and grabbed Kat by the hand, heading to the other side of the store.

Sebastian snuck a swipe at a cake and smiled toothily at Ginny. "You know, June 30th is a very special day in history?"

Ginny knew Sebastian tried many times to creep her out, and tried her best to decide what course of action could end this quickly. She rested on nodding, and Sebastian leaned against the wall.

"Yeah. On June 30th, a while back, the Wizarding World was in an uproar. Apparently, some guys had gotten it into their heads that the world didn't deserve to be in existence any longer."

Ginny couldn't help it; he had her hooked. "How far back was this?"

"Oh, around the 1900's or so." Sebastian waved his hands airily. "Anyways, these guys—sort of sound like Death Eaters—appointed the craziest one of them all to start this revolt. They started with one group, and they were going to go on with all the others, but something stopped them." He stopped, and sucked on a gumdrop he'd removed from his pocket.

"What happened?" Ginny demanded. "Tell me!"

"Well, the guy went a bit too power-mad, and instead of doing it all discreetly, he managed to let the whole world know. Somehow, the Ministry of Magic managed to convince the Muggles that he was killing off the people by Muggle means, and they sent in a group of Aurors. The Aurors got rid of him, and made it look like he killed himself."

"And?" Ginny prodded him.

"Well," Sebastian continued. "Of course the wizards were very upset. So they did something no one could ever have imagined." Sebastian paused to dig around in his pocket, until Ginny began to hit him over the head with a broomstick she had found in corner.

"Yes, well—ow! You can stop, I'm telling the story already! As I was saying, these guys called together every member of their little cult and had them all bring with them a Muggle or Wizard hostage, someone who they thought was doing wrong in the world, but someone not many people would notice for a while."

"And did they?"

"Yep." Sebastian nodded grimly. "There were about five hundred wizards in attendance—that's one thousand, counting the hostages—and they were all mad. Some guys who were right around the corner of inventing time machines, or color TV were there. All the almost-inventors of their time."

"Wow…" Ginny found herself gripping the broom fiercely.

Sebastian nodded. "They thought these men wanted to make this world worse then it already was. Well, they thought, why not destroy these guys, and then go about destroying the rest of the world later? But a group of Aurors heard about it, and snuck in the night of the gathering.

"Well, you can imagine the party! Suddenly, one of the members recognizes an Auror, and soon spells are flying, people are keeling over, and there was broken glass everywhere." Sebastian looked down into his hand and found a strawberry gumdrop.

"You know these are really good, Gin? D'you want—ow! Cheeky little—ok, ok, I'll finish. So, anyways, by the time the Ministry gets there, there's been a huge massacre, and no one's left alive."

"No one?" Ginny's eyes were wide, but then she shook herself and adopted a look of indifference. Sebastian didn't notice. He was already way into the story.

"So the Ministry has a hell of a time, obliviating memories of Muggles and a few Wizards, cause they decide that this is way too much for both the Muggle and Wizarding world to know. No stories are printed up, no reports are filed, and the Aurors and Wizards who were well known…well, they made it seem like someone else had done it. And by this time, Voldemort was just emerging into the world, so it made perfect sense to pin those disappearances on him."

"Sebby," Ginny said, her voice thick. "Who was the first guy?"

Sebastian's mouth became a grim line. "His name was Adolph Hitler. Evil little man he was, too. Lots of Muggles still remember him, as do the wizards."

"Why didn't anyone tell us?" Ginny insisted.

Sebastian shook his head. "Weren't you just listening? This was way too much for the wizarding world to handle, especially with the Death Eaters roaming around the place. Kat and I only found it because our Mum was a kid when it happened, and she lost her mum at the whole thing; she was a hostage. Mum escaped the memory charms, and decided it would best if we knew."

Ginny was quiet for a moment, staring at her hands. There was something she was supposed to be connecting to his words, she knew. If only she could dig it out from the back of her mind…

She thought back to her friends and winced slightly as their faces came back fuzzy. Ginny managed to push away the disturbance that came with the realization that she was slowly forgetting their faces, and instead thought harder. Back to the Malfoy Manor, back to the ride there, back to the opening of the trunk…

And there it was. Ginny's eyes widened and her breath came in sharp gasps as she remembered what Soleil had read off the trunk.

"**The world has erred many times, through countless ages, and countless times…**"

That would have to be what Sebastian was talking about. The wizards deemed the world unfit and unable to keep on going. She screwed up her eyes, forcing herself to remember the rest of the inscription…

"Blah…blah…" Now she was getting frustrated. All the other lines seemed to have been fulfilled already…except for one…

Ginny's eyes widened in realization. "See the gold and gleaming prize, right before your very eyes!"

"Gee, Gin, you're a poet and you didn't even know it."

Ginny ignored Sebastian and examined the line in her head once more. They'd thought the prize to be the chest, right? But it seemed so simple…too easy, actually. But what prize could be gold and gleaming?

"Sebby," she said, turning to him. "Has Desdemona been working on anything that has to do with gold?"

Sebastian frowned, and shook his head. "No, nothing that I know off. In fact, she seems to hate gold. We found a whole pile in a room. That's how we've been getting by, you know."

Before Ginny had time to digest this information, someone tapped her on her shoulder. She spun around, exasperated. "What, Kat?"

But it wasn't Katherine in front of her. A girl with sunny blond hair and wide blue eyes stared back at her. She was wearing a checkered skirt that ended just above her knees, and a white shirt with a red tie. She wore knee high checkered socks and loafers.

"I'm sorry." Ginny smiled. "I thought you were someone else."

"S'ok." The girl replied. She had an English accent, and although Ginny couldn't place it, she knew that voice from somewhere.

"I just wanted to ask you, are you new? I haven't seen you here before."

"I've been new for five months." Ginny replied dryly. "I suppose you've been away at school, then?" She stuck out her hand. "Mary Hart."

The girl eyed her oddly. "Are you sure that's your name?"

"Of course it is." Ginny bristled, although she could feel a bit of panic beneath her snippety exterior. She sensed Sebastian felt the same way. "You think I don't know my own name?"

"Of course." The girl apologized. "I'm sorry. My name is—er…"

Ginny couldn't help it. She let out a snort of laughter. "And you asked if I wasn't sure about my name?" She pointed to Sebastian. "This is my cousin, Sebastian Hart, and over there is my other cousin, Katherine Hart."

"You sure don't look alike." The girl eyed them both.

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "I got the recessive gene. And you still haven't told me your name!"

The girl shrank visibly. "It's…er, it's Ginevra! Yes, Ginevra—er, er—Black!"

Ginny could tell she was lying, and she had stiffened visibly at the use of her first name. "That's an odd first name."

The girl nodded vigorously. "Oh, my mum, she knew this nice lady, Molly Weasley, and Mrs. Weasley had a daughter by the name. Mum loved it so much, she named me after her!"

Ginny was silent. Of course her mum had many friends, Muggle and wizard alike. The girl could be telling the truth…but the last name?

"Who're your parents?" She asked abruptly.

Behind her, Sebastian pitied the poor girl, who looked ready to wet herself. He wouldn't stop Ginny, however. This girl was just too weird.

"Err…err, I dunno." She replied lamely. At Ginny's frosty glare, she continued quickly. "He left me and my mum after a while, because we had a secret he wasn't so happy about. But my mum…she decided to start over, so she changed her name, and she knew this guy named Black, so she just used the last name. It seemed common enough."

Ginny looked at her for a few moments, weighing the possibilities. The girl had a plausible story for everything, although her stutter and hesitant speech made it seem as though she was lying.

"Where are you staying?" The girl asked suddenly. She seemed to have forgotten that she wasn't in the best position to ask questions. Ginny sighed.

"The old Malfoy villa. You know, the house just up the road?"

"Why aren't your parents with you?" The girl was looking very much like a predator now, anxious to find out more, and Ginny felt only too much like the prey.

"Er—you see—they—"

"Look at that!" Sebastian cried, and grabbed Ginny by the hand. "It's time to go, we have to make dinner!" In an instant, he had run to the other side of the store and grabbed Kat about her waist.

"Nice to meet you see you later bye!" Sebastian ran outside, and the girl followed quickly. She just barely caught the broom Ginny had flung back at her before the three were sprinting down the road, with Katherine screeching indignantly at them.

The girl leaned against a post, and suddenly, a metal device wrapped around her ear appeared.

"Mission accomplished."


	15. Missing: Me

Thank you to .whisper. GoddessofNight142, Riality, and marauding-siriusly. By the way, if anyone like GoddessofNight142 got the hints in the Mission Accomplished bit, you'll be seeing a new fic out about it very…very…very soon.

Disclaimer: 

Once more I wrote a rhyme

But not to waste your time

And not to earn a dime

Because you know this is not mine.

Ginny trudged slowly up the stairs, being careful not to make too much noise lest Desdemona wake up. She and Sebastian had run all the way, with Katherine berating them until they got home.

She'd left Sebby with the task of explaining about the girl, and now as she opened the heavy door that led to her room, she wished once more she had at least thought to buy some food at the store.

She knew there was no more, and they'd have to go again. Desdemona's visits had become more and more frequent, and they had been too injured from the last attack to venture outside.

Ginny lay on the four-poster bed and flipped over. She stared at the ceiling; with it's peeling wallpaper and stains, and sighed.

A sudden crash downstairs jolted her from her reverie, and she sucked in a breath.

Desdemona.

Ginny leapt off her bed just as she heard a shriek. That would be Kat…but she couldn't face her now. Not with this mindset. Ginny cast her eyes about, searching desperately for a hiding spot. They fell on the wardrobe in the corner of her room.

"Not there…" she groaned. Ginny was sure she was claustrophobic, even though being friends with Harry meant you spent a lot of time in small, enclosed spaces. There was another loud crash, followed by Sebastian's voice, demanding that Desdemona leave his sister alone.

Ginny's decision was made as soon as she heard a loud cackling, followed by the cracking noise of wood breaking. She sprinted across the room, threw open the doors, and squeezed herself in. With some difficulty, she shut the double-doors and pressed herself into the shadows.

_I can make myself disappear._

She willed herself to become smaller, and blocked out the crashing and bashing clamor from downstairs. She had never missed her friends more. She wondered if they thought she was missing, or dead.

Footsteps pounded on the stairs. Ginny closed her eyes as tightly as possible and repeated the sentence in her head.

_I'm not here. I'm not here._

Her door creaked open.

_Missing…I'm missing. I'm missing, and I'll never be found…_

Ginny cracked open one eye, and screamed.

* * *

Draco stared at the quiet house with some distaste. 

"It's too quiet." He moved back and forth on his broomstick. "I don't like it. They've gotten home already, shouldn't there be some noise? The girl screaming, surely?"

Hermione tried very, very hard not to roll her eyes, but in the end she did so anyways. "They boy and girl are right there, in the front room, Malfoy. You can see them through the window. We've been watching them since they started walking! Where have you been?"

Blaise, Ron and Harry were hanging about idly in the background as Hermione and Draco argued, casting furtive glances at the window every few moments in the hopes of seeing Ginny.

"BOO!"

Draco was halfway to the ground before his Firebolt swooped next to him. He just managed to grab it before it stopped suddenly, almost jarring his hand free. He climbed back onto his broom and flew slowly back into the group of people, who were currently laughing at his expense.

A blue-eyed, blond-haired girl in Catholic school clothes winked roguishly at him. "Aw, Malfoy, did I scare you?"

"I think you spent too much time around the littlest Weasley, Garneau!" He snapped back.

The girl cocked her head to the side, and on nestled in her hair, a metal headband materialized. It sparked for a moment before exuding a sort of smokescreen around her. When it disappeared, Soleil was smiling back at him.

"Yes, Ginny taught me everything I know." Forgoing the light-hearted air, her tone suddenly became serious. "But now she's different, or at least, changed a bit. She claims she's living with her cousins, the guy and the girl."

"Did you detect any magic?" Hermione's brow became creased.

Soleil shook her head. "No. She was saying so of her own free will. And she says her name's Mary Hart, and that they're her cousins, Sebastian and Katherine Hart."

"Did she tell you who she's living with? Did she mention Desdemona or Lucius at all?" Harry asked, and once more Soleil shook her head.

"I think she was about to, but then Sebastian, you know the boy, grabbed her and his sister and left. Ginny was pretty cold though, during the whole thing, as if giving too much information could…kill her." Soleil's eyes dawned with realization.

"Do you think someone threatened to do her off?" Ron's eyes searched her own. Soleil looked thoughtful.

"No. Sebastian and Katherine seemed nice enough. But before I went out into the open, I was hiding behind the counter, and I heard some pretty interesting things."

She related the story Sebastian had told Ginny, and the group looked mystified. Abruptly, Hermione clutched at her broom.

"But she's on to something!" She cried. "Ginny found the answer! Dumbledore couldn't give us an exact date, but the chest could, and did so. Ginny, along with the information Sebastian gave her, has figured out when Desdemona's bonds wear off! June the 30th!"

They all stared for a moment, and Hermione sighed. "Honestly, you lot are the thickest bunch I know. She said it about five times in her whole freaking story!"

"Ah," Harry smiled wryly. "But you, m'dear, are a dork in tights." He looked pointedly at her suit.

Before Hermione could say a word, however, a smashing noise was heard. Instinctively, they all swooped lower and peered into the window.

Hermione let out a little gasp.

Desdemona, whirling in fury, was throwing Sebastian up and down, playing with him as one would a ball. She was the epitome of evil at the moment, and the group outside became speechless.

Desdemona looked down sharply, and Sebastian fell, crashing onto the couch underneath him.

Katherine suddenly ran into their view, and shrieked as Desdemona reached a hand out for her. Sebastian was struggling to stand, and shouted,

"Leave my sister alone, you evil bi—,"

Desdemona whirled suddenly, catching him in the stomach with her arm and sending him backwards into the wall. He went through it, and when the dust settled, he did not come back out.

Katherine stood in shock, her jaw hanging, and Desdemona turned slowly, her mouth fixed in a malevolent grin.

She needn't have pushed Katherine into the bookcase on her left, as the poor girl fainted before she ever hit the object.

Harry was torn between his first instinct, which was to check and see if Katherine and Sebastian were all right, or to wait and see if Desdemona led them to Ginny.

The latter won out, though, as he saw Desdemona tick one and two off her fingers, then look around. She was obviously looking for Ginny, so when her sharp, elf-like ears perked up and she quickly began to walk up the stairs, he kept her in his sight at all times.

They'd already learned that the house had magical barriers, and so they couldn't go across without getting burned to a crisp. Instead, they hovered as closely as possible, about twenty feet or so from the house itself.

They watched as Desdemona halted on the second floor, and veered sharply.

"Damn it!" Draco swore as they lost sight of Desdemona, and he immediately kicked off in an attempt to find her again. He needn't have, as a blood-curdling shriek soon pierced everyone's ears.

Draco (and everyone behind him) couldn't help but put their hands over their ears. The scream was loud and high-pitched; it was the kind of thing a director would have paid an actor billions to do in a horror movie.

Draco's eyes shot wide open as he realized it was Ginny. Without another thought, he dived towards the window it came from.

BIG mistake.

He only just remembered the barrier and jumped off his broom in time to avoid the magnificent fireball it caused.

"Ah…Firebolt, fireball…" he murmured to himself, as he realized he was lying on his back just in front of the door. Harry was suddenly leaning next to him.

"Bloody hell, Malfoy, if the situation weren't so bad, I'd ask why the hell you don't do maneuvers like that in Quidditch! Did you see your roll? Anyone else would have broken their legs!"

Draco pushed himself up on his elbows and looked up. The others had touched down next to him, but Harry was still talking.

"Of course, considering the fact that I tried the same thing and lived…even though I was like, twenty feet lower then you…"

"Where's the window? Where the scream came from?" Draco asked. Hermione pointed to a small, secluded window, where the scream was still emanating, although you could hear the screamer pause for breaths.

"Let's get up there…" Draco stumbled to his feet, but Blaise stopped him from running in.

"First off, you and Harry have killed your brooms, and we couldn't get them past the barrier anyways, so how are we supposed to get up there? And second off, if Desdemona finds us, we're dead."

Draco pushed past him and strode in. "The same way we got into the last house! None of this bloody equipment seems to be affected by the barrier, or we could just blast the door down!"

Blaise's eyes took on a twinkle. "Everyone, get rid of your wands! Find an entrance! First person to Desdemona, hold her off until we get there!"

It was all over so quickly, with only a loud bang, and all that was left of them was a pile of wood and a door swinging from its hinges.

* * *

Ginny couldn't stop screaming. A cold, clammy hand was reaching into the wardrobe, and a hooded face followed it shortly. This wasn't Desdemona. It was a dementor! 

Some wild fury possessed her, and she began to slam her palm down on its hand. "You great bloody brute! Go—go—go dement or whatever it is you do somewhere else!"

The hand wrapped around her wrist, and the coldness she had been ignoring before suddenly enveloped her. She screamed again, not because she was scared, but if only to give her some comfort in the fact that she was still alive.

Then the images started to rush through her mind, as well as the voices. She fell silent suddenly.

"Ginny? Ginny! Where are you?" She could hear someone, but their voice was getting fainter.

And then there was the cold look, looming over her with neatly combed black hair. He sneered.

"Little Ginevra…don't you know? No one's coming for you!"

She struggled against the hold weakly, and tried to rid herself of the memory. "You're gone, all gone…" she whimpered, not unlike a child.

But he smiled at her, and she suddenly felt sick to her stomach. "Oh, but Ginevra, I'm still here. Do you remember what I said, Ginevra? Whatever you fear, that's what I'll be…and it looks like you have a lot of things to be afraid of."

Ginny closed her eyes, and then opened them again, but she could still see his face, leering at her. He pulled at her hand, and she lurched forward slightly.

"Come on, Ginevra. Come with me."

"No." She said. His eyes flashed dangerously, and he slapped her. She resisted the reflex to put a hand on her cheek shook her head.

"Do you want me to hurt you, Ginevra?" He hissed. Her eyes grew wide.

"No…No…please, no!" He raised his hand again, but something was glinting against a faint light against it.

"NO TOM!" She screamed, and as it descended, she realized she could hear footsteps pounding in the hallways.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Was that Harry's voice? No, it was different, deeper she could say. She saw Tom stop, but the blade in his hand was still falling. Tom was moving back now, and she caught a glimpse of the shadow before it left.

But Tom was still there…she could see him, whether he was real or not, she was not willing to find out. The blade was heading for her heart, and his mouth was fixed in a cruel, grim line.

She could see behind him, a silvery wisp of a creature, glowing larger and larger as it got closer. It seemed to be flying, and she could see claws and sharp teeth.

She shrank back and Tom lunged suddenly. In an instant, she scrabbled at his face and vied for freedom; Tom grabbed her around her waist and the creature came closer, a single word left her lips, and she realized what the creature was.

"DRACO!"

A dragon.


	16. The Time Puzzle

To Riality and nakedmolerat: Well, you're kind of supposed to be confused, but I explain in this chapter. Actually…I explain a lot more than I probably should in this chapter. Ah, well. Thank you also to marauding-siriusly. Sorry for the long chapter, it was sort of free-flow.

Disclaimer: …I don't own it.

Harry gritted his teeth as he removed rubble and wood from the surrounding area, mentally cursing Desdemona the whole time.

"Mmph!"

His eyes widened as he heard the exclamation. He removed one, particularly large piece of wood that looked to be a door, and a girl smiled groggily up at him.

"Hi. M'name's Katherine. I s'pose you're Harry Potter? Gin's told me about you?" The last comment seemed to be more of a question, and as Harry lifted her out of the debris, he nodded.

"Yeah, well, actually we're trying to find Ginny now, but me and Hermione are in charge of getting you and your brother free. Can you walk?"

Katherine nodded, and decided that until they were out of the house, it would be best if she had decided to just ignore Harry's unruly hair, or his shocking emerald green eyes, or…

"Um, well, I'm just going to see if I can help Hermione with your brother." Despite Katherine's protests, he had her lean on him as they stumbled into the kitchen. Hermione was wiping Sebastian's brow, and he winced as a long gash across his head bled freely.

"Damn evil Dark Goddess…" He mumbled.

Katherine smiled at him. "Well, it seems he's fine. But what about Ginny?"

Harry glanced back at the stairs. "I don't know, the screaming stopped a moment ago, but if they've found her or not…" he trailed off uncertainly. Hermione snorted.

"I know you want to go, Harry, so go already! I'll take care of these two, they'll be fine, trust me."

Harry nodded his thanks and shifted Katherine over to her, before sprinting out of the kitchen and bounding up the stairs. He almost collided with Ron, who was running down the hallway.

"Where's Ginny?" Harry asked.

Ron pulled him down another corridor. "I don't know, she stopped screaming and everyone just kind of split up! I think Soleil went down to see if Ginny went downstairs, but I don't know where the others are!"

"And Desdemona?"

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

They both glanced down the hallway where the voice had come from. "A dementor?" Harry said.

"In the house? And no one has a wand!" Ron looked skeptical, but he rushed away with Harry nonetheless.

* * *

Blaise heard the shout and saw only the light, before he veered sharply to his left and blinked pointedly at Draco, who was standing further down behind. 

"What the hell? How'd you do that?"

But Draco was moving past him, sprinting into the room. Blaise followed close behind, and found that after crossing the threshold, he was unable to move.

Ginny's body was visible from behind a thin, gauzy veil of black smoke. A slight man with black hair and haunted eyes was hunched over her, a knife in hand.

Ginny lunged for them, but the man grabbed her. Ginny scrambled frantically, but as the man pulled her back, she looked up and screamed a single word.

"DRACO!"

The blond-haired boy was like a being possessed. He struggled to get out of the magical bonds that were enveloping him, as his patronus clawed futilely at the black veil.

"Funny, isn't it?"

The boys managed to turn their heads, and found a dark-haired woman in a two-piece dress smirking at them. Two long, delicate fangs seemed to grow quickly from her upper canines.

"Who the hell are you?" Draco growled.

The woman laughed. "Desdemona, at your service, although I do believe these brats call me Dezzie. I hate that." Now that she was suppressing her power, Desdemona's voice sounded almost normal, except for the occasional venomous undertone.

"Tom!" She snapped her fingers, and the man holding Ginny stopped. He glared at her irately.

"What? What? She's right here, let me finish her off!"

"Tom?" Blaise stared. "As in, Tom Riddle? But you're dead!"

Tom let out a short, husky laugh. "Yes, I know that. But such is the power of the Dark Goddess Desdemona, future ruler of this world!"

"Shut up, Tom." Desdemona eyed Draco, who was still glaring violently at her. "I like you. But you don't seem to like me very much."

"Let Ginny go." Draco ground the words out through his teeth.

Desdemona tutted. "Oh, but my dear boy, I can't! You see, in order for Tom to come back fully, he needs some of his blood! And seeing as Harry Potter completely and totally demolished his body a year or so back, it ruins his chances."

"Then why do you want Ginny?" Blaise couldn't help it; he was curious.

Desdemona smiled, exposing two fangs growing on her lower canines. "Oh, Tom had a few—special things he was doing in the Chamber with her. She has more power than she knows, poor girl."

Ginny suddenly jerked herself out of Tom's grip, and shrank into a corner. Tom smiled evilly.

"She's still afraid of me. You remember what we did, pet? In the Chamber?"

Ginny's eyes darted briefly to the dagger clutched in his hand, and Tom laughed. Draco wrenched himself once more from the magic, but it held fast.

Ginny squirmed, and Tom sighed. "She tires me, and I only have until a while. May I, please?"

"No!" snapped Desdemona. "You have just as long as I do. We shall do it on the same day. Evil arisen doubly is better."

"What shall I do with her until then?"

Desdemona shrugged idly. " I really don't know, Tom, figure something out!"

Tom frowned, but brought his dagger down sharply onto Ginny's head, hilt first. She slumped, and a trickle of blood ran from her hair.

"You'd better hope she wakes up." Desdemona twirled a strand of hair idly. Draco let out a little moan as Ginny became unconscious. Desdemona noticed this, and recorded it for further use, just as footsteps sounded and Ron and Harry appeared in the doorway.

They took in the scene quickly, and Harry, who besides Ginny was the only person to have seen Tom, opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water.

"Riddle?" He finally gasped out. "T—Tom Riddle?"

Desdemona clapped, and Harry and Ron looked towards her. "Look at that, we all know each other! We could all be one, big happy family." She suddenly made a fist.

Harry and Ron flew into the room and the door slammed shut. The boys were held down on the floor by the same magic holding Draco and Blaise.

"Oops, did I lie?" Desdemona smiled. "And here I was, trying to be nice. Let me see…I believe you are Harry Potter." She pointed to Harry, who only scowled darkly at her. "And you…you look to be related to the girl. You could come in handy…"

There was a scraping noise; Tom had hoisted Ginny onto his shoulder, and the veil around them parted as he exited. As soon as they were out of it, however, the veil began to swirl ominously around them again, as if they were in a hazy glass cage.

"Is it that time already, Tom?" Desdemona asked lazily. He looked at her, and the distaste and hate on his face was visible. He obviously did not like his for-now Mistress, and she didn't care to hide her contempt of him.

"Yes, Desdemona. We have to begin the planning, now." He stressed the last word, and took a step forward. Draco's patronus, which he seemed to have forgotten, swooped underneath his leg.

Tom pitched forward, and flung out his arms. In the process, Ginny began to fall, but behind him. The patronus caught her and, with much flapping of the wings, began to fly towards the door.

Desdemona pointed one finger, turned it over, and curled it back towards herself. There was a popping noise, and the patronus disappeared. Ginny fell once more, although this time, she began to float neatly before hitting the floor.

"You can't escape, so I suggest you don't try." Desdemona began to walk towards the door, which swung open. Ginny floated behind her, and Tom brought up their rear.

In a moment, the boys felt a sort of tugging on their arms and legs. The black veil moved from its spot by the wardrobe and seeped underneath them. They found themselves being carried after the Goddess.

Desdemona glided down the hallways and the stairs.

Hermione was bending over Sebastian's right leg, and wrapping a cloth around it. She had taken a broken plank from the floor and somehow trimmed it down, so that it served as a splint.

Katherine was leaning against the sink, but as soon as the group entered, she raised her eyes.

Desdemona didn't give them a moment to think. She merely blinked, and the three were bound by invisible ropes. Without another word, she raised her arms, and a black smoke surrounded them.

"Where are you taking us?" Hermione struggled against the magical bonds.

Desdemona smirked as the smoke began to clear. "Seeing as I can't see the house, I'm going to leave you inside a very special room. You'll be let out when it's time for these bonds to be raised."

Before the smoke could be fully cleared, however, she stepped backwards, taking Tom with her. There was a loud slamming noise, and the assemblage was able to move again.

They were in a completely blue room, with hints of gray and purple on the walls. The air seemed distorted somehow, and most of them found it unnerving.

But everyone ignored the atmosphere, as Ron crawled over to his little sister and cradled her head in his lap.

"Gin…Gin, are you ok?" His voice cracked, and he buried his face in his hands. "It's not fair! Every single time you finally forget, something like this has to happen!"

Hermione exchanged a glance with Harry, before speaking smoothly to Ron. "What do you mean, Ron? Was there something Ginny had to forget?"

Draco, who had been itching to hug the redheaded girl as soon as he saw her lying on the ground, suppressed the urge and the pounding in his ears in time to hear Hermione's question. He listened keenly to Ron's answer.

"She was always so—different, after the Chamber. She didn't talk much, and when she came home, we were just so happy to have her back again! But she didn't sleep at night, and although she always acted just fine and happy when she was around people, we weren't stupid." Ron wiped a hand across his eyes, which were tearing.

"She cried sometimes, too. But we—as in, Mum and Dad and my brothers—decided to just let it go. She obviously wasn't going to tell us, and you know how Ginny gets when you prod her about something. Then, when Voldemort went down, it was all quiet for a long time. She was fine, and she wasn't pretending."

There was a lull after this comment, and no one at all spoke, until Harry glanced at his best friend. "But she's relapsed more than once?"

Ron nodded, his face tight. "You know that time the Giant Squid tried to eat her hat? And how freaked out she was?"

Everyone remembered. It had been a sunny day outside, the first after a series of cold days in September. So everyone had been outside. Ginny had been walking with Soleil along the water's edge, when the Squid had been paddling lazily on the surface. It had spied her hat, and for reasons unknown, decided to reach over and pull her in to get at it.

Ginny had been upset to the point where she couldn't speak for quite a while, even though she had laughed it off when climbing out.

"She started acting weird after that, and after the whole thing where Malfoy—your father," he stared pointedly at Draco, who couldn't restrain a wince. "Where Malfoy attacked her, and I'm very sure she probably had them while she was here."

Everyone looked at the twins, and Katherine let the tiniest of nods escape her. Sebastian merely closed his eyes.

"The point is," Ron said, suddenly looking years older, "Every time something remotely bad happens to Ginny, or someone she cares for, whatever it is that's bugging her comes back. I'm almost positive it's nightmares, but I just don't know about what."

"You—are an idiot." Draco ventured.

"I second that!" Sebastian sat up quickly and his eyes all but flew open.

Ron was too shocked to say anything, but Sebastian had to stuff his fist in his mouth to keep from laughing. Katherine rounded on him.

"Why would you say a thing like that, Toad? These people just saved our lives, maybe, you can't tell them they're idiots!"

"I didn't." Sebastian blinked innocently up at her. "I only agreed with the person who said it."

Katherine punched him in the shoulder, and as he rubbed at it ruefully, she glared daggers at Draco. "And I suppose you're Draco Malfoy? Yes, Ginny's told us a bit about you…"

Draco ignored her and focused his attention on the Golden Trio. "Let me recap for you. Ginevra—it's not that bad, Weasel—comes out of the Chamber." Ron had flinched when Draco used Ginny's given name. "You make sure she's not on the verge of dying, scold her a bit, send her off to Pomfrey, then listen to the boy hero's tale and congratulate him on another job well done?"

"What's your point, Malfoy?" Harry growled, his face darkening rapidly.

"My point is," Draco sneered, "Did you ever, ever care to ask her what happened in there?"

"But—but she wouldn't have told us!" Ron protested, but Draco cut him off.

"She would have if you had cared, but once she went months with those nightmares and still no one said a word, you think maybe she just decided to let it go? Maybe she just decided, she's apparently not good enough for her family, so why bother heaping her troubles on you!"

Ron blanched as Draco's words hit home. They fit in exactly with Ginny's behavior, and what could have happened in her time in the Chamber.

Harry looked a touch frightened as he voiced the question on everyone's minds. "Do you think—do you think Riddle touched her?"

Draco stiffened, and took a moment before answering. When he did, his voice was laced with venom.

"If he did, I'll make sure he dies a slow, painful death."

The silence this time was deafening, and, as Draco glared at everyone in the nearest vicinity, daring them all to disprove his theory, Ginny stirred.

* * *

"_If it's any consolation to you…I thought you beautiful when I first wrote to you. And now I find I'm right!"_

_She blushes._

"_I'm not—I'm not beautiful. I'm very plain."_

_He smirks._

"_On the contrary, Ginny, you're very, very dashing. Will you—will you do something, for me, Ginny?" _

_He whispers in her ear._

_She blanches._

"_But that's vile, Tom! I could never!"_

_And she looks into his eyes._

_And is falling once more._

_Into that pit of despair_

_Where everything he says is right, and she is the only erroneous thing._

_Then there are voices…talking about her…superimposing over brief snatches of what she did. The images are her second year's fears, but the words are the present._

"_**She would have if you cared!"**_

_If you cared._

_If they cared._

_She looks at the red on her hands, and runs back into her room._

"_What's going on, Tom? I can't remember what I did all yesterday!"_

"_It will all be fine, Ginny, I promise you. Will you do something for me, please?"_

_He's holding her. She nods, and looks into his eyes._

_No one cares._

_No one knows._

"_Do you care, Tom?"_

_He shakes his head._

"_I don't. And I never did." _

_She is lost to the world once more, and when she returns, he is lifting the dagger hilt, to mark her body with the bruises. He only lifts the blade to make one long, running scar down the side of her stomach, and it stings like fire. The he hears Harry coming._

"_I'll always be here, Ginny. When you're afraid…I'll come visit. You can close your eyes…but you'll still see me."_

_She screams, and the last thing she sees is his wicked grin, as he pockets the dagger in his voluminous robes._

_And still, no one cares._

* * *

Ginny's eyes flickered open, and she blinked blearily at her brother, who was leaning over her. Behind him she could see the others, glancing to her from around the odd room they were in. 

She felt dizzy, and knew she couldn't stay awake for long, so she sought out the pair of eyes she cared most about.

They were carefully guarded, she could tell, and yet no matter how hard she searched, the barriers would not break for her.

"Ginny. Are you ok? Can you speak to me?" Ron was looking down at her worriedly. Ginny didn't nod. Her eyes were still locked with Draco's, and in that moment, something inside her gave way.

"Do you even care?" she whispered, before fainting dead away.

"Ginny! Ginny!" Ron looked to be on the verge of tears before Hermione grabbed his hand and shook her head.

"She's fine, Ronald, she's just fine. But I think we should get out of here, so that she can get some real help." She looked over at the twins, who were still silently arguing, but stopped when they realized attention was directed on them.

"Yes?" Katherine eyed her rather suspiciously.

"I just wanted to know, do you know what room we're in? If anything, we need to find a way out of here before Desdemona—,"

"Dezzie." Sebastian grinned in what he thought to be a helpful way at her. She cast him an odd glance, but nodded.

"Right. Des—er, Dezzie, can't get her powers before we find a way to get rid of her. I have an idea, but if you know any better…"

Katherine shook her head shortly. "No, we don't. And even if we did, we couldn't tell you. Not because we don't want to—but we've been cursed, so that if we do, our death wounds return and—," she stopped as a sudden nosebleed overtook her.

Sebastian ripped some of the cloth from his black t-shirt and handed it to her. "Looks like you've said too much, Gossip Girl." He arched an eyebrow as she smacked him, but took the cloth anyway. "What? What?"

"Toad." She mumbled, but smiled affectionately, and turned to Hermione. "So where do you think we are?"

"In a Time Puzzle." She didn't bother waiting for them to think, as she knew none of them would have heard it before. "The Japanese wizards were always very smart, and they were especially interested in time. That's why their artwork is so detailed. You should see their shrines, and—,"

"Today, Granger, I would like to leave this room." Draco drawled. She turned red, flustered, but cleared her throat and started over.

"Yes, well, they were very smart. They were attempting to make a time machine sometime in the early 1800's, but those projects failed miserably. Finally, a team of highly skilled wizards came up with something; a Time Puzzle."

"And these puzzles do—what?" Sebastian was looking at her eagerly. "Did they do it?"

"No." Hermione smiled gratefully at him, as he seemed genuinely interested. "Well, yes, in a way. You see, they harnessed time inside of a room, but it always escaped unless it was held in by a powerful amount of magic. In this case, Desdemona."

Hermione began to pace. "Time Puzzles work in a complex way. They can go forward and backward in time, or freeze it for quite a while. The thing is, they only affect people inside. So time will go on normally for those outside, but for us, it will seem like minutes, or seconds. Or we could spend what seems like years in here, but turns out to only be a day or two."

"Years?" Soleil suddenly seemed very, very nauseous. Hermione ignored her, however.

"There were problems. No one could tell where they were going in time, or how long they could stay in. And the only way to get out was through the Time Puzzle itself. In each of the four corners of the room is a Japanese name, one of the founding wizard or witch's names. All these names describe something. You're supposed to find something you have with you that the name describes, like a person or object."

She looked up, her face flushed. "Can anyone speak Japanese?"

There was a long, drawn out pause before Soleil raised a tentative hand. They all stared at her, and she defended herself. "Hey, Ginny and I could get very bored at times! We thought it fun to learn languages so we could kill time!"

But Hermione was already forcing her to her feet, and leading her to a corner. "Here, read this one."

Soleil squinted for a moment. A small, raised platform stuck to the bottom corner of the wall had something written in kana on it.

"Er, Leiko. That means—oh, Gods, Ginny was always better at it then me…arrogant!"

"We need something arrogant!" Hermione exclaimed triumphantly. All eyes turned to Draco, who took a moment before turning a burning red.

"I am not arrogant!"

"Yes, you are." Sebastian grinned coolly up at him. "You're actually very arrogant, and as Ginny so quaintly put it, a pompous arse at times."

Draco scowled, but stalked over to the corner and stood there.

"If it's any consolation, she thought you were a very cute arse! Or was it had a very cute arse?"

"Shut up!" hissed Katherine, and she pinched Sebastian even harder, but everyone in the room had managed a smile.

Hermione marched Soleil to the next corner. It came faster this time.

"Right, that's—Tomo. It means twin, so I think one of them has to come." She gestured to Sebastian and Katherine.

"I'll go. Seb can't do it with his leg, anyway." Katherine stood and walked into the corner, and smiled a bit at Hermione before slumping against it. Harry couldn't help but notice she was cute when she looked disheveled.

"Ok, the next one is Aiko. I'm not sure on this one, but it might be beloved one, or little love."

"That's Harry." Ron looked up at them, blushing furiously. "Because of his parents, see?"

"Right." Harry stood and went over to his own little corner, eyeing the raise platform somewhat spitefully.

Soleil practically skipped over to the last one, confident in her success. But she visibly drooped as her eyes scanned it, and she licked her lips.

"This is in Japanese…but it's not a Japanese names. One of these founding persons was a foreigner."

"Can you still read the name?" Hermione asked anxiously. Soleil nodded.

"I think it's…actually, I can't get the name out, but the meaning's pretty clear. Little red haired one."

"Ron?" Hermione asked.

Soleil shook her head. "That symbol on the left would be different if it meant a guy…but even to be sure, I'm very sure I saw this when we were learning."

"I KNOW IT!" Hermione was suddenly jumping up and down in glee, and they all eyed her warily. "One of the founders of the Time Puzzle was a traveler, and stopped long enough to help with some major changes in the Japanese language and to work on this. She was a witch, but she had several names. Rogan and Roslin were the ones she went by most. They all mean red-haired one!"

"So…Ginny." Soleil turned to look at her the girl lying on the ground, still with her head in Ron's lap.

"You'll have to carry her, Ronald." Hermione was scrutinizing the situation as Ron lifted his sister up and carefully let her lean against the corner. "And from the looks of it, everyone has to touch their platform, so on the count of three. One…two…three!"

As soon as there was weight on every one of the platforms, there was a bright flash of light. Beams of green, red, white and blue shot out from the platforms and connected. There was a heavy creaking noise, and from the right side of the room, a section of the wall slid back to reveal a hidden door.

"We're out!" Hermione crowed.


	17. Harry's Joyride

Disclaimer: I only own a few characters and the plot. Everything else is truly JKR's.

The large group stumbled out of the Time Puzzle, and they all experienced head rushes as they were readjusted to the normal time frame. They found all of their weapons, which they hadn't realized were missing, leaning against the wall outside. Hermione, however, was all about business.

"Quick, someone find a clock or something that will tell us the date! We need to find out what day it is!"

They all stared at her, and she frowned. "Have you all gone mad? Are you just going to let Desdemona—"

"Dezzie." Sebastian interrupted.

Hermione's frown deepened. "Whatever her name is, she's taking over the world and you're not stopping her!"

"Hermione." Soleil pointed to the watch on the brown-haired girls' wrist. "That's a clock right there. And it's digital, so it's sure to tell you the date."

Hermione blushed. "Of course," she mumbled, and looked down. She stared for a moment, before collecting herself and looking up. "It's ten-thirty, the twenty-ninth of June!"

"Well, that gives us a lot of time." Draco said sarcastically.

"What's happening on the twenty-ninth?" Sebastian looked around at the group. Blaise sighed.

"Look, to make a very long story short, that witch is rising to power on the 30th of June. We heard your story about those wizards gone bad, Soleil was a spy—"

"She was the blonde?" Sebastian interrupted. He looked at Soleil, who blushed. "Do you know how much you scared us? Gods…"

"The point is," Blaise drew his attention again. "The date has had enough evil performed on it so that it's the perfect day for Desdemona—"

"Dezzie." Sebastian smiled helpfully.

"Dezzie." Blaise said through gritted teeth. "It's the perfect day for _Dezzie_ to rise to her full potential, and Tom too. So naturally, on that day, they're aiming for their full power. Until then, they can't leave the house."

"Yes they can." Sebastian answered instantly. Just as quickly, Draco was upon him, clutching him by the collar. Sebastian, who had been leaning on his sister for support, swayed slightly before leaning on the wall.

"Listen to me, there is no time for you to act like a crazy fool. Ginevra is about to lose her life, as are all of us, and maybe half the world or more. So if you have some information, I suggest you give it to us, or _keep your mouth shut_." It was, undeniably, a threat, and although Sebastian had a good five inches on Draco, he gulped.

Katherine suddenly pushed the Slytherin blonde, and as he hadn't been expecting it, he fell back, staying upright only because Harry caught him and pushed him off quickly.

"Don't touch Sebby!" She cried indignantly. "I know he can be stupid, but he would never make jokes at a time like this. Dezzie can move about, you know. When we first came, it was limited to here and the village. She knew she was weak, and didn't call attention to herself."

"We didn't tell Ginny, though." Sebastian looked thoughtful. "Whenever Dezzie would disappear for a while, we said she was sulking down here, in the basement. It was the one place we weren't allowed to go, so Ginny bought it."

"So where else can she go?" Draco was sulking that a girl had pushed him, but he had morals, and though he tried desperately not to show he was upset that he couldn't hit back, it showed. Katherine smiled at him.

"Dezzie is now able to go to the one place Lucius Malfoy thought would be safe. He thought that by now, Voldemort would have won the war, and Dezzie would just be accepted speedily."

"Well, he thought wrong." Harry said flatly.

"But where is this place?" Ron was carrying Ginny in his arms, and she looked particularly vulnerable. Draco felt a twinge of guilt. Stupid father…

"I think Draco knows." Katherine was looking at him, and he decided to make an attempt. Someplace Lucius knew had magical wards, but that was not highly obvious…and someplace obvious, so that no one would think to look there. Recognition dawned in Draco's eyes.

"Our villa! The one I spent my summers at!"

"Exactly." Katherine nodded. "You do realize that Lucius was a bit of a—fanatic?"

"He was crazy, actually." Draco replied, ever so calmly. Katherine let s mile creep across her face.

"Yes, well, he had an altar set up down there. I think they were going to," she shivered. "Sacrifice Ginny."

"Why?" Ron looked panicked, but Draco had gotten the answer rather quickly.

"Ginevra seemed terrified of the dagger Riddle had. Did she have any scars on her when she came out?"

Ron frowned, then, with a bit of uncertainty, he knelt and laid Ginny on the floor. He tugged at her shirt, and his frown deepened. Blushing a little, he pulled his little sister's shirt up just under her chest.

Draco had to concentrate very, _very_ hard not to get lost in the sensations he got when he saw her creamy, pale skin. Other, more malevolent sensations soon arrived, however, as he saw the blemish.

A long, pinkish line ran from just below her navel and up to her collarbone. Draco was suddenly kneeling next to Ron. He traced the scar, and his face clouded with what was unmistakably fury.

"We need to get there."

"There aren't enough brooms, Draco." Blaise said quickly. He moved back as Draco swung around to face the twins.

"Is there any other source of transportation in this goddamn place!" he roared. Katherine covered her ears and winced. Sebastian, however, remained cool.

"There is something, yeah. But it's a Muggle thing, and we're not even sure of it still works. Lucius used it to get here the last time we saw him. He apparated to Hogwarts, so I'm sure it's still here."

"What is it?" Draco struggled to remain calm. Inside, conversely, he was raging. _How dare he touch her! I'll kill him, I swear I will!_

"It's a car." Katherine said uncertainly. "But who will drive? Sebastian can't with his leg, and trust me, I'll end up plowing into the house before we finish."

Ron shook his head. "Not me. I drove the Ford Angelina, but that was entirely by luck. I didn't even know what to press. I guessed most of it."

Harry looked horrified. "You didn't?" Ron smiled sheepishly, and Harry managed to take a breath before he started hyperventilating. "I might be able to, but that would only be as a last resort. Can anyone else drive?"

From the looks the two Slytherins and two girls were giving him, he was indeed, their last chance.

* * *

The car was, remarkably, an SUV. 

It was a very fast one though, Harry noted, as they tore down the country lane. Everyone had squeezed into the back, and Draco sat in the front so he could give Harry directions.

"LEFT!" He shouted above the engine.

Harry squinted at the fork in the road in front of them. "Left?"

"Right!" Draco nodded and affirmative, but Harry looked confused and veered right. Draco clapped a hand over his eyes.

"I SAID LEFT!"

Frightened, Harry turned the wheel, and the car went with it, crashing through several trees in an effort to get back on the right track. When they finally came to open road, Draco glared at Harry.

"You're an awful driver, Potter."

Harry grimly clutched at the wheel, too sick to say anything. After a moment, though when the terrain became very bumpy, he managed to.

"I—I—I fr—fr—freaking h—h—h—hate you, M—m—m—Malfoy!"

Draco squeezed his eyes shut. "A—a—a—and I—I—I second t—t—t—the m—m—m—motion!"

When they were on smooth land once more, Draco directed Harry to yet another secluded drive. As they drove on, Draco turned to those in the back.

"So, do we have a plan?"

Sebastian looked up hopefully. Hermione had picked up her wand on her way down, and had managed to put a splint on his leg. "How about we burst in and use some magic to get rid of her?"

"You don't have a wand, Toad." Katherine looked out of the window, as if searching for something.

Blaise suddenly snapped his fingers. "I've been trying to remember this all day!" He turned to the blond in front of him. "Draco, when you used to the Patronus charm inside of the house, you didn't have your wand with you."

"That's impossible." Hermione said quickly. "Wandless magic is for normally minor things. It's hard enough to perform the Patronus charm with a wand, never mind without it!"

"But he did!" Blaise insisted. Harry kept his eyes on the road as he answered.

"No, he's right. When Ron and I got there, his patronus, a dragon, was trying to get through the screen. Why did you conjure it anyway?"

"There was a Dementor." Draco was looking own at his lap, obviously uncomfortable with the questioning.

"WHAT!" Several occupants in the car cried out, and Harry swerved sharply. Draco shrugged.

"I'm sure it was there, or something like it. Whatever it was, it's what was affecting Ginevra."

"Maybe it could have been Dezzie." Sebastian said thoughtfully. "I'm pretty sure she can shape shift, so it could have been her. Or maybe Riddle disguised himself, and it was just his presence that scared Ginny."

"That works." Hermione nodded. "But it still doesn't tell us how Malfoy was able to conjure up his patronus without a wand."

"I think," Katherine said uncertainly. "I think I read something about that. If a person is concerned enough with another person, then their natural magical abilities will take over and their body will basically become a sort of wand. The magic emanates from them, and can make any spell they want, although I'm not sure if it works with very powerful spells."

"Malfoy?" Ron was looking oddly at the blond. "You were concerned—worried, about my little sister? A Weasley? And A Gryffindor?"

Draco buried his head in his heads, a movement that did not go unnoticed by the occupants of the car.

"I knew something was different about him…" Ron muttered under his breath. Draco sighed and looked up.

"Look, we can talk about this later, but for now, we just have to get to the house. So do we have a plan or not?"

The second Malfoy villa was looming into view, and it looked like an almost exact replica of the previous one.

"We should at least scout the place out," Hermione said, and glanced at her watch. "But it's already eleven twenty-five."

"Um, are there brakes on this thing?" Harry seemed to be stomping down on the car floor, and Sebastian suddenly grimaced.

"Hey, Kat, d'you remember when I was trying to make something do we could channel electricity in the house? And I got a wire from someplace I never told you about? And then I lost the wire?"

"Throw your wands out of the window!" Draco said suddenly. Everyone complied, just before they entered the villa. Harry paled.

"Don't tell me what it was—"

"The wire was part of the brake for this car." Sebastian finished quietly.

"What do we do now?" Soleil looked about frantically, and Draco gripped the dashboard.

"Scream…yell…you know, the norm."

They crashed through the house with a deafening crunch, and skidded around in circles for quite some time before Harry had the sense to let go of the gas. They stopped in what looked like a parlor.

"Well." Blaise coughed. "That was exciting."

There was a loud cracking noise, and the car shifted suddenly. Harry braced himself using the wheel, just as the floor underneath them gave way and they fell through.

The car tumbled down a long way, spinning a few times, before landing with a jarring thud on the ground.

Inside, no one moved.


	18. And We All Fall Down

Oh, please don't kill me, but with OP, ODTP and a couple of other fics, I've sort of lost it for this one. But it's back, and with the longest chapter yet (Methinks) to make up for it. BY the way, this one is the next to last one…

Disclaimer: When I think up a good reason as to why I should fill these out, I'll put one down. (Hears police sirens and sulks) All right, all right. It's not mine, ok?

* * *

_She was crouching behind the huge statue of Salazar, taking deep, calming breaths, and hoping Tom didn't find her. She was tired of reliving these memories. Tired of the fear they brought, and the hopes they dashed._

"_Hello."_

_She watched as the ball of white light bounced just above her nose, and she felt as though the thing were smiling._

"_What are you?" she whispered, feeling somewhat disconcerted._

"_A friend." No face formed, though, as the ball circled her head, making a halo of light._

"_Everything's going to be all right, right?" she said abruptly. "You're here to make it all better, right?"_

_The ball bounced a bit higher, but did not answer her question. Instead, it asked on of its own._

"_Do you love him? The one like a dragon?"_

_Ginny couldn't help it. She laughed. "I think I could, but most of our meetings are made up of near death experiences, you know? They don't make for great dates."_

_The ball replied seriously. "He does not think so. Would you dash his heart so?"_

_Ginny panicked. "That's it. When all of this is over, I'm getting the hell out of here. A long, long vacation."_

"_You cannot." The ball pushed her against the wall, but gently, and Ginny landed in a heap. It perched on her upraised knee, and a tinkling laugh came out of it._

"_I need your help, and you need mine. When this is all over you may run. But it's a sign of denial, you know."_

_Ginny bit her lip. "No, I don't know. He's not that bad, actually, it's just…how could he ever bring himself low enough to love one like me? You know, after all the stuff that happened between me and Tom…"_

"_Why do you still call him that?" The ball interrupted. "Tom? The monster. I haven't called my sister by her first name for ages!"_

"_Sister?" Ginny seemed troubled, and the ball let out another tinkly laugh, this one sounding forced._

"_Desdemona is more than she seems to be. All will be explained later, but for now…do you accept it, my child?"_

_There was silence. Then:_

"_You know it's hard, right? All this stuff coming in suddenly? I just want to lie down and sleep, sleep, sleep."_

"_And so you will," the ball reassured her. "But I suggest you finish this first, before you start."_

"_Then I accept." Ginny started as she heard Tom's laugh. "And I would like it to begin now."

* * *

_

Ginny awoke suddenly, taking in deep, gasping breaths of air. The first thing she noticed was that it was very, very dark, and that there was absolutely no noise. She remembered what had happened her—could she call it that?—dream and smiled faintly. She knew what to do.

She sat up, and almost collided with Ron's chin. He was leaning back, one arm flung in front of Hermione, who was in a semi-crouching position. Ginny let her breath out in a whoosh. They were all unconscious.

Hermione's watch was beeping loudly, and Ginny checked it. The red numbers glowed eerily, reading eleven-forty nine.

She crawled out from underneath her brother, and noted the shattered windows. They were in a car, she could tell that much. But why? And where were they?

A sudden fear struck her. Could Tom and Desdemona have killed them? She quickly checked Ron and Hermione, and breathed a sigh of relief as she saw they were breathing. In front of her, she could see Sebastian and Katherine leaning towards each other, and while Sebastian seemed to be cowering slightly, Katherine was in a position that suggested she was pushing her brother's hands off her while they crashed. Ginny couldn't suppress as smile at that.

Timidly, she pushed herself out of Ron's lap and picked her way forward. There were Blaise and Soleil. Blaise had his arms wrapped around the younger girl, and Ginny reached up a hand before pulling it down slowly. _Better to leave them be_, she thought absently.

In the driver's seat, Harry was lying back, looking almost as if he were asleep. Ginny spied Draco, however, and immediately she scrambled over the chairs, ending up on the floor in front of him.

A trickle of blood ran from his forehead, and he was breathing very, _very_ slowly. Ginny's eyes filled up before she pressed her hands against his chest and began to pump. Her father had told her about this, a while ago. It was a Muggle procedure…CRP, or something like that. But the next step required…

"Oh, please don't be mad…" she whispered, and stood up as much as she could. Then, stooping, she placed her mouth over his, closed her eyes, and blew softly. He didn't move, and she did the hand part of it again. He twitched, and this time, when she blew in, his body began to be racked with coughs.

Draco's eyes flickered open, and he blinked blearily at Ginny, who smiled widely and threw her arms about him.

"You're not dead!" She cried. Draco eyed her warily.

"And neither are you." He looked around, and back down at her. "Why'd you wake me first?"

She blushed and looked at her hands. "I thought you were dying. There was blood on your head…and you weren't breathing properly, unlike everyone else."

"Old trick." Draco flexed his fingers. "It took me ages to learn. Your subconscious mind breathes more deeply, and takes longer breaks. It makes enemies think you're dead, gives you a better chance at getting away."

Ginny shuddered. She didn't think she wanted to know why Draco thought he would have to learn that.

"They're stirring." He said abruptly, and opened the door next to him. Ginny hesitated, so he slipped out from beneath her and jumped down. He looked back up, and Ginny didn't waver before jumping into his arms. He caught her, set her down, and set about to opening the other doors.

Ginny looked around, and took in that the room they were in was without lighting of any sort, and without decoration as well, except for exactly (she counted) forty-two steps, which ended with a raised slab of stone that looked suspiciously like a sacrificial altar. The roof rose above her, and she had to strain her eyes before she saw any inkling of the hole they had apparently fallen through.

Blaise emerged first, clutching his side.

"Hullo!" Ginny waved cheerfully, and his eyes widened before he ran to her and hugged her till she was turning red. Blaise only put her down, however, after a low growl from Draco.

Ginny turned to the blond, who instantly adopted a puppy-like look. She tsk-ed and punched him softly in the shoulder.

"You don't threaten people, Draco. It's not nice."

He arched an eyebrow at her, but a voice interrupted whatever snide comment he was about to make.

"You couldn't have told him that a few years back, Gin?" Harry grimaced as he rounded the side of the car, followed closely by Sebastian and Katherine.

Soleil was quick to wake next, and Hermione and Ron came last. When Ron realized his sister was awake, he stalked up to her in a manner suggesting he was angry. Instead, he dropped his guard and hugged her roughly.

"Don't you ever, ever do that again, Gin."

"You were worried?" She seemed surprised, and Ron exchanged a glance with Draco before he bit his lip and looked down.

"Look, Gin, I know I haven't been there for you all the time, and I do admit I am an overprotective git most times, so I'm sorry. I really should have asked you about what happened after the Chamber, but—I was too caught up in everything going on and—"

Ginny interrupted him, and kissed him on the cheek.

"It's ok, Ron. I know you're nothing but a big git of a brother—" Here he blushed. "But you're _my_ big git of a brother." Ron smiled back at her.

"**How cute."**

Ginny, Sebastian and Katherine all reflexively backed up against the car, putting as much space as they could between them and the voice.

Desdemona suddenly appeared, sitting on the altar. Tom crouched next to her, his robes spilling over the edges, and twirling the dagger in his hand.

"Hello, pet." He smiled wickedly at Ginny, who hardened her face and pretended to be braver than she really felt.

"What have you done to me?" Her voice was louder than she expected it to be, and she winced slightly. Tom didn't seem to notice.

"D'you remember the gash that I gave you? That lovely, lovely mark? It seems that before I drew the blade over your skin, I nicked myself. Some of my blood is in you, Ginevra. I need that to come back."

She steeled her voice. "Never."

Tom looked hurt, and in one liquid motion, he was off the altar and down a few steps. "You don't want me back? Before Potter came into the picture, you were quite fine with me. You were…what was it?"

He made a flicking motion with two of his fingers, and his voice sound just like Ginny's when he spoke next.

"Oh, Tom! I'm so glad you're my friend, without you I'd have never made it past most of this year! I think I love you, Tom!"

Many faces were directed towards Ginny, who didn't seem to notice. Her hands curled into fists, and she walked forward a few steps.

"I thought wrong."

Tom's smile was twisted. "You've changed. But not enough, pet. Come here, now. One last embrace, for old time's sake?"

He held out his arms, and Ginny hissed.

"When this is over, you'll burn in hell!"

Tom straightened and frowned. "You first, pet." He looked over to Desdemona, who merely looked Ginny in the eye.

The redhead swayed for a moment, and Draco and Ron made as if to catch her, but she disappeared in a wisp of smoke. When she next reappeared, she was sitting on the altar, legs dangling over the side, and eyes glazed over.

Tom hopped up next to her and removed the dagger from his robes. He handed it to her, and she lifted up her shirt without a word.

"NO!"

The cry was strangely guttural, and Desdemona held up a hand. Ginny stopped moving, as the Goddess regarded Draco evenly.

The Slytherin knew there was no way in a dozen blazing hells that he could make it up those stairs in time to save Ginny. He remembered Desdemona's last comment as they were in the room at the first Malfoy villa, and he tried to stay composed.

"Leave her be, take me instead. I'm well aware that I'm a powerful wizard and—" Here he cringed, looking as if he'd rather die than reveal the next piece of information. "Salazar Slytherin's blood runs in my veins."

Desdemona smiled cruelly, and her fully formed fangs glinted in the enshrouding darkness. **"How infuriatingly adorable. You'd die for the girl?"** Her laughter caused everyone in the room to recoil, even Tom. **"You think we didn't know? But Salazar is nothing compared to what we have with this girl here!"**

Desdemona looked almost greedily at Ginny, and stroked her hair. **"She has been touched by the blood of all the founders, and seeing as she has Tom's blood as well, there is no need for you. She is strong willed, this one, and so we must use something that matches her own force. She must conjure it up herself, I cannot—I will not, touch the accursed thing."**

Desdemona waved her hand in what seemed to be an airy motion, but Ginny stiffened and dropped the dagger. It fell down the stairs with a loud clattering noise that reverberated around the area.

"**Daughter of Godric, Rowena, Helga, Salazar, conjure up thy blade!"** Desdemona cried.

Ginny's eyes opened fully, and in that moment, she was herself once more. Ocher eyes blazing, she stood up on top of the altar and glared spitefully at Tom and Desdemona, who quailed considerably.

"_You loathsome pieces of rubbish!"_ She was whispering, but her voice carried through the room, and she seemed possessed. Then, a grim smile alighted her features. "_Ye have picked the wrong girl, heathens._"

A roaring noise started, and a strong wind picked up. It soon became a dangerous thing, as it raged horribly, exactly like a tornado.

The group below found themselves pushed against the car, and Ron's eyes were wild as he yelled above the wind, "What have they done to my sister!"

Hermione was clinging to the door as she answered. "For everything negative there is a positive! Like matter and antimatter! Bad and good, dark and light!"

"So?" Harry roared back.

"So when Lucius created Ginny, he must have created something else, a backlash of the power that somehow managed to hide away! I think Ginny's managed to capture it somehow!"

"MY SISTER CAN'T BE TOYING WITH ENTITIES!" Ron bellowed, his face red. Draco gave him an odd look, before smirking.

"You know, that sounded very, very wrong, and I bet it did in your head too." Ron flushed, but all were distracted as the wind suddenly stopped, and everyone gasped.

Ginny was floating in a position suggesting she was sleeping, but her clothing was gone.

(A/N: No, no, get your heads out of the gutter!)

In the place of the Muggle-ish outfit she had been wearing before, she was wearing a form-fitting, emerald green dress. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, but curled at the ends, and as her eyes opened, she seemed to have kohl on them. Her face seemed oddly tight and she looked much older than sixteen. She made a few intricate finger movements, and light began weaving itself between her fingers.

Desdemona looked shocked as a sword manifested in Ginny's hand, made of pure, unadulterated gold. The hilt was studded with emeralds, as was the middle, and the blade was double-edged. Tom, however, didn't seem worried. As soon as he had righted himself, he lunged for Ginny.

The redhead didn't even have time to look surprised, before she was tumbling down the steps with the wild-eyed man on top of her. Images flashed through her mind—time spent in the chamber, the things he had done, and a new fury arose in her. With renewed strength, she pushed her feet up to his middle, throwing him off. They were close to the bottom of the stairs, now, but Desdemona was following them warily.

Ginny scrambled to her feet, relieved to find that the sword was still in her hand. Tom was already standing, glaring at her with the dagger clutched in his hand and a few stairs below her. Ginny raised the blade, and he rushed forward.

The man took a swipe at her face, and she found herself blocking without really meaning to. She parried a blow to her stomach, and stepped back when he took a wild stab. Ginny wove around the madman, making sure never to let him get to close to her, and never making any advancements of her own.

That is, until Tom feinted to her left, and as she moved to block there, he jumped on top of her. Ginny let out a strangled cry as the man pushed her down onto the stairs, and he raised his dagger, eyes glittering madly.

"Looks like I was right, pet. You're going to hell like me!" But then his eyes stopped, transfixed, and he looked down at his stomach and the arrow protruding from it. With a badly masked gasp of pain, he staggered upwards, before falling next to her.

Ginny stared, wide-eyed as blood burbled from his mouth. "No, Tom. You first, not me." And she pushed him away from her, standing up once more. Draco was already taking the steps two at a time, with the others not far behind him. His bow and another arrow was hanging loosely in his hand, and Ginny smiled.

"**Wench. You needed my sister to beat me? **

The redhead gasped in pain as she felt her hair being pulled up. Everyone underneath her stopped suddenly, and Ginny scrambled madly for her sword, but a pale hand stilled her own.

"You are indeed, more strong-willed than Tom and I had thought at first. But Tom misjudged you. I will give you an offer, child. Join me, and we shall be the greatest women ever known!" 

Ginny hesitated. Here it was, her chance at redemption, coming to her in the form of her enemy. Making sure to hide the sly grin creeping across her face, she stilled her frantic movements.

"I accept your offer."

No words could have ever stunned anyone more. Even Desdemona seemed a bit taken aback, although she didn't show it. Her lips curled into a malicious smile, and she released Ginny's hair from her hold. With a wave of her hand, the altar was gone. In its place, two velvet lined thrones stood.

"**I knew you'd see my way, it was only a matter of time. Come with me, child, and we shall be free forevermore this day." **The Dark Goddess blinked, and another cruel smile wavered on her face. **"And oh, look at this! It seems that I shall be freed in a minute exactly. Your mission has failed, you petty things."**

She took Ginny's hand and with slow, deliberate steps, she led the younger girl up the remaining stairs, as though taunting the others to follow her. But they reached the altar without incident, and as they sat back in the chairs, Desdemona waved her hand.

A large, ticking clock with silver edges and hands appeared above the thrones, counting down the few seconds they had remaining. As Desdemona began to laugh, Ginny's grip tightened around the chair. She caught Draco's eye, and arched an eyebrow.

The blonde boy was infuriated. He was already armed, his arrow aiming for Desdemona's heart, but he knew it was hopeless. With Ginny on the dark side, all he could believe in was maybe dying at her hands. He hated to think he'd end up being a toy to them, maybe.

But the redhead was glaring at him in a way that suggested he was the one doing something wrong. He glowered back, until she arched an eyebrow and looked pointedly at his arrow. His gaze absently trailed down to the projectile and he had to stifle a gasp. The whole arrow, from tip to feather, was made of pure gold, as was the bow.

Ginny was now curled up in her chair, shrinking away a little from the madwoman next to her, who didn't seem to notice. When she looked at Draco again, her eyes were pleading. The Slytherin hesitated, locking her eyes for as long as he dared, making that silent promise.

_You'll come back?_

_I will. _

The clock suddenly knelled out one note, then another in quick succession. Draco raised his bow; ignoring the weird looks the others were giving him. With a murderous gleam in his eyes, he stretched the bowstring taut, and lifted his finger.

Desdemona never had a chance. The arrow whirred as it propelled through the air, giving her only a second's notice as it hit her in the chest. She shrieked, a horrible sound, like nails on a chalkboard, before standing up. Her beautifully pale and yet terrifying features began to sag, and she whirled around to face Ginny, pointing a now less-then-slim finger at her.

"You!" she rasped, her voice no longer holding onto those magnificent tones. "You did this to me!" And she jumped upon the redheaded girl, clawing and biting, just as the beams of dark light penetrated her body.

A terrible, howling wind, even more powerful then the one before struck up. The group below the stairs was tossed about like puppets in a gale, none of them being able to hold onto any sort of structure. They were all knocked out, slamming into walls or the floor, their bodies sagging like sandbags after a war finally over.

The last thing Ginny saw before she was pushed over the throne and altar, down the stairs, was one chiseled face, framed by white-blonde hair.

Suddenly, life had never tasted so good.

* * *

The Ministry Officials burst through the doors of Lucius Malfoy's vacation villa shortly after six in the morning, when nearby Muggle and Magical residents complained of unearthly doings. 

Thomas Neil Addams was a young Auror, just inducted, and still unsure about what to do. As his commander barked to all his group that the wards had been disable, he noticed one of the elite of his group crouching over what seemed to be a pile of sticks and talking to a few other members. A moment later, the commanding Auror swaggered in front of them, his usually rugged face sagging.

"We've got—we've got children in there, and it seems like this is the thing we've been looking for since Malfoy died. Dumbledore said he'd get the guy's son to help out, but it looks like he took some friends. Their wands are over there—reinforcements are coming, but for now we need to go in."

Addams was in shock. From what he'd heard, the Malfoy case was huge—every Auror, no matter how bad was briefed on it, they needed information that badly. Addams clutched his wand tighter as the Aurors split up and crept in. He was partnered with a Kingsley Shacklebolt; a big burly African-American he'd heard was becoming a legend in the Auror world.

Shacklebolt was quick, breaking down the door and scouring the mansion no problem. Addams figured the guy had it all figured out, and was wandering into the living room when he fell. He just barely managed to get over his shock cast a spell that would slow his fall before he was floating down gently touching ground as he did so.

The hole he had fallen through was _really_ high up, and suddenly Addams felt sick. Even more so when he realized he was standing on an SUV that seemed to be on its last legs—er, wheels.

"_Sonorous_," he mumbled, forgoing the traditional check of the area. "HELLO! MR. SHACKLEBOLT? I NEED HELP, THERE'S A HUGE HOLE DOWN HERE, AND I'M STANDING ON AN SUV!"

There was a loud scuffling noise from upstairs, followed by several more. Addams had to blush as he realized that he had also probably alerted every Auror in the house. He suddenly heard his partner's voice call down to him.

"ARE YOU IN ANY IMMEDIATE DANGER?"

Addams snorted. Had he been, he wouldn't have told them that. They would have left him, for chrissake! "NO, I AM NOT!"

"WHAT ARE YOUR SURROUNDINGS?"

Addams clenched his wand, and let his voice drop so that he was talking normally (the Sonorous spell was still on him) and used Lumos, magnifying it so that it grew to the light of a large lantern, and he cast it about.

The wreckage was easy to see. What seemed to be two thrones were smashed against separate walls, and was that—a giant clock? And there, in a corner…Addams squinted to catch a hold of it, and panicked.

"OH MY GOD! I SEE BODIES! I SEE BODIES!"

He almost missed the many shouted spells above him, noticing them only because seconds later every Auror was on the SUV or surrounding the immediate perimeter. Shacklebolt was the first to break formation, heading for the first body he could find, just as something broke upstairs, announcing the arrival of the second team.

Addams started as a woman with bright orange hair that had green streaks in them appeared next to him. "Wotcher, Kingsley!" She shouted. "We heard about the bodies; who are they?"

Addams peered at her discreetly, and suppressed a gasp of shock as her features changed to show spiky blue hair and glowing neon blue eyes to match. Next to her, a red-haired man with horn-rimmed glasses was scribbling notes, but managed a delicate sneer at her.

"I've got a Weasley, Tonks."

The red-haired man's mouth dropped open, and in a second, he was off the car and heading towards Kingsley. "Who is it? Who is it!" he demanded.

Kingsley showed him Ron's crumpled form in his arms. "Your brother was lying next to Hermione and Harry, and two unidentified kids."

"Harry Potter?" Addams imagined he could see his commander's eyebrows popping from his head as Kingsley nodded. Tonks was past him in a second, making noise as she unearthed more. She cast a few levitation spells, and the Aurors gasped as Harry Potter's body floated towards them indeed, followed by the bushy-haired witch they recognized from news reports as Hermione Granger. Behind them came two black haired kids, a boy and a girl with green streaks and purple streaks in the others hair.

"They've saved the world again!" cried a young girl to the left of Addams. Kingsley, however, shook his head.

"It looks more like they were just there. The people who actually did something got the full brunt of this force—whatever it was. I suppose Tonks is checking up on them; they're probably behind the stairs."

Sure enough, the woman's voice cried out shortly. "Kingsley, it's my nephew! And his friend, the Zabini kid, and—ooh, this is Ginny's friend, she frequented the house enough, Soleil was it?"

Percy Weasley (Addams was sure that was his name) stood up from where he had been checking over his brother, shaking slightly. "Is there anyone else there? My mother—my mother contacted me shortly before saying she hadn't heard from Ron or Ginny in a while, and that they weren't at school. Is Ginny there?"

There was a full-blown silence, and then Tonks emerged, three children floating behind her and shaking her head (now neon orange) sadly. "I'm sorry, Percy, but there's no one else."

She could have sworn later that her nephew's body twitched when she said that.

* * *


	19. Living Beautifully

* * *

Disclaimer: YES! THE FINAL ONE! I DO NOT OWN IT!

* * *

Ok, ok. So this is the very last chapter, and _yes_ I'll miss all of you and this _has_ been a great ride. I'm terribly sorry for leaving all of you in suspense, but you see—I just had three story endings planned out and couldn't decide whether to leave Ginny for dead or not. Cruel as that may sound; in some cases it would have been better, and in others, worse. But here's the end, and a few parting words;

Brava, reviewers! People often say that a writer's best tool is a pen, but it's actually the compliments received. With them, they can morph the good feelings into good fics—which is what I hope I've done here. Thanks so much, and goodbye!

* * *

_**3 years later**_

_**Christmas Day**_

Draco hissed lightly as the steaming liquid touched his tongue, burning it.

"Careful, dear." Mrs. Weasley handed him an ice cube and he took it, dropping it into his mug of hot cocoa almost as an afterthought. The motherly figure in front of him shook her head. "Fred and George did that all the time."

"You're being likened to more twins," another voice teased. Draco pretended not to notice as Harry slipped into the seat next to his.

"Sulking?"

"Malfoys _don't_ sulk."

"Brooding, then?" Harry chuckled, and then turned serious. "We all miss her, Draco. Don't act like you're the only one."

The blonde's lips twitched a little at that. "Jealous much, Potter?"

"Boys," Mrs. Weasley warned. "Don't start now. I've already gotten wind that Katherine and Sebastian will be coming today—Draco, stop poking Harry—and I just _know_ something's going to break out once Sebastian and my twins start arguing over who're the better pair."

"Kat and Seb." Harry answered promptly.

"Fred and George." Draco smirked back at the ex-Gryffindor, who looked scandalized. "Come on, Potter. I've got absolutely no opinion on this whatsoever, but going against you is just too much fun."

Harry flushed, and opened his mouth to retort but Mrs. Weasley waved him away. "Quiet, Harry. Goodness, I haven't had the house so full in ages, now that all my children have moved out!" She started to tick them off.

"Bill living all on his own in that big mansion off in Gloucester, Charlie still in Romania, Fred and George with their idiotic shop, Ron marrying Hermione and moving into that flat, Ginny—" She stopped, and sniffled.

Draco and Harry glanced at each other, before the blonde held up a cookie. "These are marvelous, Molly! It would have done me some good if I had been able to eat these earlier, instead of the garbage they made me eat at the Manor."

"Snide little monkey," Harry whispered as Mrs. Weasley beamed and turned back to her oven. "Distracting her like that."

"I've been doing a lot of it to myself lately." Draco stood, and waved to Mrs. Weasley as he grabbed Harry's hand. "We'll just be going; I think I'd like to tease Weas—er, Ronald a little."

"Be nice," the plump woman replied, and then uttered a small cry as her fireplace turned a brilliant green. Out popped the face of George Eidelhart, red and looking flustered.

"Molly?" he said. "Are ye there?"

Since the return of Kat and Sebby, George had become a more central figure in the Weasley home, and was constantly arriving with a bag of sweets for "those absolutely _beautiful_ children who saved the lives of mine!"

"Yes, yes," she answered, noticing his excitement. "What is it?"

George peered around the kitchen, and his gaze landed on the two boys. "Er…they'll 'ave t'go, Molly. Although this has to do with them, they'll 'ave to stay out till you think it's okay to tell them."

"Don't come in no matter what," Mrs. Weasley ordered.

Shrugging, Draco and Harry made their way outside. No use in arguing with the mother of seven children.

Outside, snow was falling in thick, fat flakes. Draco turned to Harry, eyes registering curiosity. "What d'you think they're doing?"

Harry shrugged, and looked over to where Hermione and Ron were sitting, chatting gaily about—what else—their new child.

Roslyn was nestled snugly in her mother's arms, squirming just a little but all right nonetheless. Hermione had her wrapped thoroughly in a white parka, and as she rubbed noses with the tiny thing, Ron laughed. Harry and Draco trudged over to them, and immediately after greetings, told the two about the strange incident in the kitchen.

Ron looked quizzical after hearing it. "The same thing happened when I was at Fred and George's shop. They got a visit from Eidelhart too, but they kicked me out and I had to take the Knight Bus home. Dunno what he said. They were ecstatic and it was only yesterday."

"Aren't they always high?" Draco muttered.

"Watch yourself, Malfoy," Ron said threateningly.

"Don't start, you two," Hermione warned them, rolling her eyes. "I've had enough or your whining, Ron, and you're getting too caustic, Draco, and Harry don't just _stand_ there! You're _so_ asinine."

The boys blinked at her.

"She needs pills," Draco said finally. "And I suggest you take a few too, Weasley." Ron glared at him, and Draco flashed him a brilliant smile. "Merry Christmas, Ronald."

Momentarily thrown off by the use of his first name, Ron stuttered out a response. Harry laughed.

"You're both idiots," he said through chuckles. "Gin would throw a fit if she could see you." Ron nodded, suddenly mellow.

"Yeah. If." The redhead muttered, and chucked his daughter under her chin. She gurgled happily and grabbed onto his finger. Ron smiled.

"I think the Terrifying Twins are here," Hermione said suddenly, looking up at the sky. Four brooms had landed just in front of the house, and she frowned. "Why didn't they take the Knight Bus if they don't have transportation?"

"And why four brooms?" Ron interjected. "Unless Kat's moved on to someone more—rugged…" Harry blushed and socked Ron in the arm.

"You need to be restrained," Draco commented lightly.

"Someone needs to put a muzzle on your face, Ferret."

"At least I'm thought of as _cute_. Aren't weasels normally seen as snide, conniving little sons of—"

"Hey!" Harry shouted, placing his hands on the sides of his head. "My virgin ears, geez."

"Not to mention other such parts of your anatomy," a voice said behind him. "Although if _I_ could have my naughty way with you…" Katherine came up behind him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Harry grinned, and turned fully to envelop her in a warm embrace.

"Eww…"

"Eww…"

"Eww…"

"Cease and desist with the mauling of my sister," Sebastian said, shaking his head. "Geez, you leave a guy alone for a _moment_ and he's all over the inherited goodness."

"Why you conceited little twat," Draco said, arching an eyebrow. "I wasn't expecting you to rush out so fast. What's so exciting?"

"We've got a guest," Sebastian announced importantly. "And I'm sure you'd like to meet her, Draco, and then we can set you up with her and you'll go on to have beautiful children that are cute but eerily cynical."

"…Thanks for that," the blonde replied. "But why should I be so excited about this guest? In case you haven't noticed, I've been quite indifferent to the female population for the better part of three years."

Katherine smacked her brother on the chest before he could reply. "Don't say anything, Toad," she warned, and then turned to the others. "Just follow us. We found her vacationing in United States, and let me tell you, we hit it off straight away."

Hermione stood, eyes sparkling and suddenly ecstatic. "Then let's meet her already!" Her eyes met Katherine's, and the younger girl sighed. Sometimes, Hermione was too smart for her own good; she'd already figured out what was supposed to be a surprise.

"Onward, then!" Sebastian cried, undeterred. "And, by the way, she's also very cranky at the moment as your mother nearly fell upon her knees in hysterics—"

"Sebby. Die."

Sebastian grinned back at his sister. "You too, luv, you too."

They reached the back door, and Katherine went in before any of them, dragging Harry fiercely by the hand. Everyone else stayed back to hang up their coats, so when Harry walked into the kitchen, he was virtually alone.

"On all that's holy…" came his shocked voice, and than only the rustle of fabric and a whispered reply. Katherine was leaning against the doorway, a light smile on her face.

"You know, if I didn't like her, I would have to sock her for doing that," she said. Sebastian rolled his eyes, and held out his arms to Hermione.

"I think I'll need to hold the baby, Hermsey. If you drop her after this, I can't be held responsible for her death." He grinned lopsidedly. "Besides, I haven't held her forever!"

Eyeing him suspiciously, Hermione handed over Roslyn. "Don't you dare hurt her…" she warned him, and then, quickly regaining all of her previous anxiety, she started towards the door. Hermione stopped just before it, however, and held out a hand to Ron, and the other to Draco. While her husband took it immediately, Draco hesitated.

"Why so friendly now, Granger?" he asked finally.

She smiled faintly. "I think—" she paused, and looked back at Sebby. The black-haired boy was looking strangely relaxed, tickling baby Roslyn with a finger. He looked up, caught Hermione's eye, and winked. The witch laughed.

"I think now, Draco, we all need to be friendly." Before he could protest, she grabbed his hand and marched into the kitchen, eyes already glimmering with tears.

* * *

_**3 years earlier**_

Ginny Weasley had been promised a long vacation, and she usually got what she wanted.

So she wasn't all that surprised when she awoke in a bustling alley, head aching a little and in Muggle clothing. Her wand was tucked into the waistband of the pleated skirt she wore, and she noticed with disgust her white shirt was spotlessly straight. Harrumphing a little, she mussed up her hair and pulled at the shirt till it was effectively wrinkled.

Smiling against the sudden chill that had swept across her face, Ginny Weasley stepped into New York City for the first time of her life.

* * *

It had been relatively easy to blend in, once she'd found out that a sort of complicated memory charm had been performed. Teachers and students at Salem Witches Prep School all remembered wild, rambunctious Ginevra Weasley who had but one more month to go before she finally graduated.

It had been relatively easy to figure out who her friends were supposed to be, as well as enemies; the spineless Samantha Mason could never stand up to the heroic blonde Abigail James who Ginny had supposedly grown up it.

It had been relatively easy to pass all her classes with the same flying colors that was expected of Salem's Ginevra Weasley, and even more so to find a job there as the Potions teacher until she had enough money to travel on her own.

It _hadn't_ been relatively easy, however, to keep her from going straight home every time she felt a pang of loneliness. She assured herself she would return someday, but the moment never felt right.

She never knew when it would, either.

* * *

Three years and twenty-six days before Christmas, she was starting to feel in that mood. She and Abigail had gone clubbing the night before, and as Ginny performed a quick hangover charm, her memory came back to her.

"_He was hot," the now drunk Ginny admitted. "Hot and rebellious. I think I loved him," she slurred._

_Abigail nodded, and tried to snap her fingers, only to end up staring at her limp hand as she spoke. "But who was he? You always—always—allays—always talk about him when you think we don't—HICCUP—hear."_

_Ginny nodded seriously. "That's cuz he's a secret. BIG secret. Enemy of my family, y'see, but we went on a big mission and **giggle** blew a few things up, and had a couple of fights."_

_Abigail blinked. "Doesn't sound so nice t'me." She let her head drop on the table as she looked to Ginny, who was suddenly looking very much sober._

"_Yeah," she whispered. "To you. To everyone. But he was nice, sometimes. And when he was, he was the nicest, bestest person in the whole widest world." She looked up. "Abby—I think I could've loved him."_

_Abigail started to snore._

_Ginny rolled her eyes, and then collapsed in her own spot._

Luckily, the bartender had been a friend, and had Flooed them home quickly. Ginny groaned now even as she thought of it. Abigail would no doubt never stop bugging her about this mystery man; she needed to get away.

"When was the last time I've had a vacation?" she asked aloud, and then smiled. How cynical of her. Of course, this was a vacation, albeit a long and virtually endless one. She grabbed a pen and a notepad, and wrote a few words on it quickly. She was packed in twenty minutes, and it took her twenty more to make reservations for a nice hotel along the beach in California.

When Abigail Apparated in later, all she found was a note that said _Gone for now, be back in a few weeks or so. Love, the Mysterious One (Gin)_

Not three hours later, as Ginny lay sunbathing on a beach, Sebastian tripped over her while chasing after a small dog that had stolen his sunscreen. He'd blinked at her in shock for a few moments, and she was in the same position. So much so that when he asked her who she was, she replied without hesitation.

"Ginny Weasley, Toad."

* * *

Now as she sat in a kitchen she hadn't seen in three years, after watching her mother collapse in happiness when she had Flooed in, and then gone back for her broom, after seeing the Boy Who Lived become paralyzed in surprise and hug her, she wondered why she had ever stayed so far away.

Her back was turned to the door, as she excitedly told Harry of how she'd managed to become the first ever non-Greasy Potions teacher in the history of the Wizarding world, so she didn't realize anyone was inside until they spoke.

"Gin?"

She turned, eyes still sparkling, but they dimmed when she saw her brother, staring as though he'd seen a ghost. Her face softened. "Hey, Ron."

Ron made a small noise of distress, and then in the next instant was wrapping her in a huge hug, sniffling as he did so. Ginny smiled fondly and didn't say a word as he continued to rant softly in her ear, stating that if she _ever_, ever did such a thing again…

"You're crazy," he finished finally. "But thank you so much, for being sane enough to come home." He pulled away from her and she smiled.

"You're welcome," Ginny said. The redhead took Hermione's hand, and gave her friend a brief hug. "I've been missing you for ages, Herm."

"Oh, Ginny," Hermione breathed, eyes misted over. But then she remembered herself and glanced over her shoulder. Ginny followed her gaze, and was suddenly unable to move.

Draco had entered the kitchen with a slightly confused smirk on his face, but as it became apparent who was inside, the icy façade had melted, and he had simply stared. Ginny, never the shy one, immediately shook herself and crossed the room, taking both his hands in hers.

"Missed me?" she said cheekily. Draco's eyes hinted towards anger, but she squeezed his hands. "I missed you."

For a moment, Ginny was afraid she'd gone too far. Draco's emotions immediately righted themselves, and his face was expressionless once more. She heard someone behind her suck in a deep breath, and she loosened her grip on Draco's hands, ready to step back.

And then her head was tilted up, meeting soft and yet slightly chapped lips halfway through. Cold breath mingled with warm, and she gasped as the ferocity of the kiss made her knees weak.

When they finally broke away, it was to the laughter of Katherine and Sebastian as they watched Hermione scold Ron and Harry, who were scowling darkly.

"I suppose that's a yes," Ginny mused aloud as he looked down at Draco's arms. They had encircled her waist sometime during the kiss and she hadn't noticed. Suddenly bashful, she inclined her head and looked to her mother.

Molly Weasley had seen her children come and go more times than she could count. Now, as she watched her youngest melt in the arms of someone who could probably take far greater care of her than she, she was forced to wipe a tear from her eye. "I give you my blessings," she said roughly. "But come on, now, we've got dinner and I do believe your brothers are coming!"

"Fred and George knew!" Ron said, outraged. "I can't believe they—why would—gah! I hate brothers. Gin, you're a better sister than most, so I'll keep you for the moment." He quickly hid behind his wife as Ginny glared at him.

The kitchen soon became more alive than before, as Sebastian and Katherine retold their tale, and most listened with rapt attention. Ginny and Draco were still by the door, however, talking in low voices.

"What about Soleil and Blaise?" Draco murmured, forehead resting on the redhead's. Ginny shrugged.

"What about them?"

"Do they know?"

She scoffed. "First people I went to. Soleil sobbed her poor heart out. And Blaise was halfway to see you before I stopped him. I wanted to be your little Christmas present."

Draco grinned, then, one of the rare ones Ginny had been privy to. "Tell Santa Clause I like it."

Ginny was surprised. "You know of the Muggle guy?"

"Been spending a lot of time with your family, love."

Ginny smirked. "So it's love now?" Draco opened his mouth to retort, but Ginny pointed deviously upwards to the doorframe. "Mistletoe."

Draco glared at the offending shrub for a moment, before Ginny pulled his face down to meet hers. "How _have_ you lived without me?"

Draco smirked. "Just _beautifully_."

He smothered her reply with a well-timed kiss, promising many more to come under his breath.

* * *

And that's it, that's all, darlings. Non grazi, non grazi. I hope this reaches you all and maybe this will help you out, make your weekend a little better, eh?

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